English

Generalized spin representations. Part 2: Cartan-Bott periodicity for the split real En series

Rings and Algebras 2014-03-19 v1 Representation Theory

Abstract

In this article we analyze the quotients of the maximal compact subalgebras of the split real Kac-Moody algebras of the En series resulting from the generalized spin representations introduced in part 1. It turns out that these quotients satisfy a Cartan-Bott periodicity. Our findings are also meaningful in the finite-dimensional cases of A2 + A1, A4, D5, E6, E7, E8, where it turns out that the generalized spin representation is injective. Consequently the observed Cartan-Bott periodicity provides a structural explanation for the seemingly sporadic isomorphism types of the maximal compact Lie subalgebras of the split real Lie algebras of types E6, E7, E8.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1403.4463,
  title  = {Generalized spin representations. Part 2: Cartan-Bott periodicity for the split real En series},
  author = {Max Horn and Ralf Köhl},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1403.4463},
  year   = {2014}
}