In the representation theory of semisimple Lie algebras, Category O (or category \mathcal{O}) is a category whose objects are certain representations of a semisimple Lie algebra, and whose morphisms are homomorphisms of representations.

Introduction

Assume that \mathfrak{g} is a (usually complex) semisimple Lie algebra with a Cartan subalgebra \mathfrak{h}. Let \Phi be its root system and let \Phi^+ be a choice of positive roots. Denote by \mathfrak{g}_\alpha the root space corresponding to a root \alpha\in\Phi, and set \mathfrak{n}:=\bigoplus_{\alpha\in\Phi^+}\mathfrak{g}_\alpha, a nilpotent subalgebra.

If M is a \mathfrak{g}-module and \lambda\in\mathfrak{h}^*, then the \lambda-weight space of M is

M_\lambda=\{v\in M:\forall h\in\mathfrak{h},\; h\cdot v=\lambda(h)v\}.

Definition of category O

The objects of category \mathcal O are \mathfrak{g}-modules M such that:

  1. M is finitely generated;
  2. M=\bigoplus_{\lambda\in\mathfrak{h}^*} M_\lambda;
  3. M is locally \mathfrak{n}-finite, i.e. for each v\in M, the \mathfrak{n}-submodule generated by v is finite-dimensional.

Morphisms in this category are the \mathfrak{g}-module homomorphisms.

Basic properties

Koszul duality

A homological feature of category \mathcal O is that, after choosing graded lifts of blocks, certain blocks can be described by Koszul algebras. In particular, Beilinson, Ginzburg, and Soergel showed that (for suitable graded realizations) the endomorphism algebra of a projective generator of a block (notably the principal block) is a Koszul algebra A.[1] Equivalently, the corresponding graded block of \mathcal O is (via a projective generator) equivalent to the category of finite-dimensional graded modules over A.

In this setting, Koszul duality relates two graded blocks: one block is equivalent to \mathrm{gr}\text{-}A, while a second (dual) graded block is equivalent to \mathrm{gr}\text{-}A^{!}, where A^{!} is the Koszul dual algebra of A.[1] The associated Koszul duality functors induce a triangulated equivalence between the bounded derived categories of these graded realizations, i.e. an equivalence of the form

D^{b}(\mathcal O_{\mathrm{block}}^{\mathrm{gr}})\;\simeq\;D^{b}(\mathcal O_{\mathrm{block}^\vee}^{\mathrm{gr}}),

where \mathcal O_{\mathrm{block}}^{\mathrm{gr}}\simeq \mathrm{gr}\text{-}A and \mathcal O_{\mathrm{block}^\vee}^{\mathrm{gr}}\simeq \mathrm{gr}\text{-}A^{!}.[1]

Koszul duality for category \mathcal O is closely connected with geometric and combinatorial structures such as the geometry of the flag variety, perverse sheaves, and Kazhdan–Lusztig theory.[2]

Examples

  • All finite-dimensional \mathfrak{g}-modules and their \mathfrak{g}-homomorphisms are in category \mathcal O.
  • Verma modules and generalized Verma modules and their \mathfrak{g}-homomorphisms are in category \mathcal O.

See also

References

  1. ^ Beilinson, Alexander; Ginzburg, Victor; Soergel, Wolfgang (1996). "Koszul duality patterns in representation theory". Journal of the American Mathematical Society. 9: 473–527.
  2. ^ Soergel, Wolfgang (1990). "Kategorie O, perverse Garben und Moduln über den Koinvarianten zur Weylgruppe". Journal of the American Mathematical Society. 3: 421–445.