Confusion about the Moyal-Weyl twist

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter gasgas
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the mathematical formalism of the Moyal-Weyl twist within the context of non-commutative geometry and quantum gravity. Participants explore the implications of the twist's definition and its relation to the properties of the enveloping algebra and the Lie bracket in differential geometry.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion regarding the Moyal-Weyl twist, specifically questioning the symmetry of the tensor product of basis vector fields in the context of the enveloping algebra and its implications for the definition of the twist.
  • Another participant requests definitions to clarify the concepts being discussed.
  • A third participant links to a source containing definitions relevant to the discussion, indicating that the definitions are found in the first chapter of a PhD thesis.
  • One participant clarifies that the vectors are elements of the universal enveloping algebra, suggesting that the non-commutativity of the tensor product is crucial to understanding the situation.
  • A later reply reiterates the non-commutativity of the tensor product in the context of the universal enveloping algebra, refining the earlier claim about the multiplication of elements.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the implications of the properties of the enveloping algebra and the Moyal-Weyl twist, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved with multiple perspectives presented.

Contextual Notes

There are limitations in the discussion regarding the assumptions about the commutativity of the basis vector fields and the specific definitions of terms used, which may not be fully clarified.

gasgas
Messages
7
Reaction score
1
I am studying the mathematical formalism behind non-commutative geometry approach to quantum gravity. I was reading about Hopf algebras and their Drinfeld twist with a specific example of the Moyal-Weyl twist defined as F=exp(-iλ/2θ^(μν)∂_μ⊗∂_ν) where λ is a constant parametar and θ antisymmetric constant tensor. {∂_μ} is the basis of the tangent vector space over the underlying spacetime

Now, from my understanding the enveloping algebra which appears in the definition of the Hopf algebra by construction respects the Lie bracket of the tangent space such that v⊗w-w⊗v=[v,w] for all v,w in the tangent space and [.,.] the Lie bracket. As is always done in differential geometry, we may take the basis vector fields to be commutative, which implies that in the enveloping algebra ∂_μ⊗∂_ν=∂_ν⊗∂_μ, i.e. the tensor product that appears in the definition of F is symmetric and contracted with an antisymmetric tensor which should give zero.

Am I misunderstanding something?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Can you give some of the definitions?
 
martinbn said:
Can you give some of the definitions?
I will just link the source I'm using if that's fine. All the definitions are in the first chapter of this PhD thesis https://arxiv.org/pdf/1210.1115
 
You have a Lie algebra ##\mathfrak g##, and its universal enveloping algebra ##U(\mathfrak g)##. The vectors ##\partial_\mu## are viewed as elements in ##U(\mathfrak g)## and ##\partial\mu\otimes\partial\nu## are elements in ##U(\mathfrak g)\otimes U(\mathfrak g)##. So they don't commute.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: Demystifier
martinbn said:
You have a Lie algebra ##\mathfrak g##, and its universal enveloping algebra ##U(\mathfrak g)##. The vectors ##\partial_\mu## are viewed as elements in ##U(\mathfrak g)## and ##\partial\mu\otimes\partial\nu## are elements in ##U(\mathfrak g)\otimes U(\mathfrak g)##. So they don't commute.
I see, so a more precise way to say this is that m(##\partial\mu, \partial\nu##)=m(##\partial\nu, \partial\mu##) where m is multiplication in U(g), while this does not apply to an element of U(g)##\otimes##U(g). Thank you!
 

Similar threads

  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Replies
9
Views
1K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 26 ·
Replies
26
Views
6K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 27 ·
Replies
27
Views
3K
  • · Replies 42 ·
2
Replies
42
Views
11K
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
2K
  • Poll Poll
  • · Replies 15 ·
Replies
15
Views
22K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K