Division Algebras

Here, the eminent algebraist, Nathan Jacobsen, concentrates on those algebras that have an involution. Although they appear in many contexts, these algebras first arose in the study of the so-called "multiplication algebras of Riemann matrices". Of particular interest are the Jordan algebras determined by such algebras, and thus their structure is discussed in detail. Two important concepts also dealt with are the universal enveloping algebras and the reduced norm. However, the largest part of the book is the fifth chapter, which focuses on involutorial simple algebras of finite dimension over a field.

This volume is based on lectures on division algebras given at a conference held at Colorado State University. Although division algebras are a very classical object, this book presents this ""classical"" material in a new way, highlighting current approaches and new theorems, and illuminating the connections with a variety of areas in mathematics.

This volume is based on lectures on division algebras given at a conference held at Colorado State University. Although division algebras are a very classical object, this book presents this "classical" material in a new way, highlighting current approaches and new theorems, and illuminating the connections with a variety of areas in mathematics.

Volume 2 of two - also available in a set of both volumes.

I don't know who Gigerenzer is, but he wrote something very clever that I saw quoted in a popular glossy magazine: "Evolution has tuned the way we think to frequencies of co-occurances, as with the hunter who remembers the area where he has had the most success killing game." This sanguine thought explains my obsession with the division algebras. Every effort I have ever made to connect them to physics - to the design of reality - has succeeded, with my expectations often surpassed. Doubtless this strong statement is colored by a selective memory, but the kind of game I sought, and still seek, seems to frowst about this particular watering hole in droves. I settled down there some years ago and have never feIt like Ieaving. This book is about the beasts I selected for attention (if you will, to ren der this metaphor politically correct, let's say I was a nature photographer), and the kind of tools I had to develop to get the kind of shots Iwanted (the tools that I found there were for my taste overly abstract and theoretical). Half of thisbook is about these tools, and some applications thereof that should demonstrate their power. The rest is devoted to a demonstration of the intimate connection between the mathematics of the division algebras and the Standard Model of quarks and leptons with U(l) x SU(2) x SU(3) gauge fields, and the connection of this model to lO-dimensional spacetime implied by the mathematics.

This volume contains one invited lecture which was presented by the 1994 Fields Medal ist Professor E. Zelmanov and twelve other papers which were presented at the Third International Conference on Algebra and Their Related Topics at Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan, Republic of China, during the period June 26-July 1, 200l. All papers in this volume have been refereed by an international referee board and we would like to express our deepest thanks to all the referees who were so helpful and punctual in submitting their reports. Thanks are also due to the Promotion and Research Center of National Science Council of Republic of China and the Chang Jung Christian University for their generous financial support of this conference. The spirit of this conference is a continuation of the last two International Tainan Moscow Algebra Workshop on Algebras and Their Related Topics which were held in the mid-90's of the last century. The purpose of this very conference was to give a clear picture of the recent development and research in the fields of different kinds of algebras both in Taiwan and in the rest ofthe world, especially say, Russia" Europe, North America and South America. Thus, we were hoping to enhance the possibility of future cooperation in research work among the algebraists ofthe five continents. Here we would like to point out that this algebra gathering will constantly be held in the future in the southern part of Taiwan.

The first contribution by Carter covers the theory of finite groups of Lie type, an important field of current mathematical research. In the second part, Platonov and Yanchevskii survey the structure of finite-dimensional division algebras, including an account of reduced K-theory.

A Moufang set is essentially a doubly transitive permutation group such that each point stabilizer contains a normal subgroup which is regular on the remaining vertices; these regular normal subgroups are called the root groups, and they are assumed to be conjugate and to generate the whole group. It has been known for some time that every Jordan division algebra gives rise to a Moufang set with abelian root groups. The authors extend this result by showing that every structurable division algebra gives rise to a Moufang set, and conversely, they show that every Moufang set arising from a simple linear algebraic group of relative rank one over an arbitrary field k of characteristic different from 2 and 3 arises from a structurable division algebra. The authors also obtain explicit formulas for the root groups, the τ-map and the Hua maps of these Moufang sets. This is particularly useful for the Moufang sets arising from exceptional linear algebraic groups.