Central extensions of the families of quasi-unitary Lie algebras

The most general possible central extensions of two whole families of Lie algebras, which can be obtained by contracting the special pseudo-unitary algebras su(p,q) of the Cartan series A_l and the pseudo-unitary algebras u(p,q), are completely determined and classified for arbitrary p,q. In addition to the su(p,q) and u({p,q}) algebras, whose second cohomology group is well known to be trivial, each family includes many non-semisimple algebras; their central extensions, which are explicitly given, can be classified into three types as far as their properties under contraction are involved. A closed expression for the dimension of the second cohomology group of any member of these families of algebras is given.Comment: 23 pages. Latex2e fil

Superintegrability on sl(2)-coalgebra spaces

We review a recently introduced set of N-dimensional quasi-maximally superintegrable Hamiltonian systems describing geodesic motions, that can be used to generate "dynamically" a large family of curved spaces. From an algebraic viewpoint, such spaces are obtained through kinetic energy Hamiltonians defined on either the sl(2) Poisson coalgebra or a quantum deformation of it. Certain potentials on these spaces and endowed with the same underlying coalgebra symmetry have been also introduced in such a way that the superintegrability properties of the full system are preserved. Several new N=2 examples of this construction are explicitly given, and specific Hamiltonians leading to spaces of non-constant curvature are emphasized.Comment: 12 pages. Based on the contribution presented at the "XII International Conference on Symmetry Methods in Physics", Yerevan (Armenia), July 2006. To appear in Physics of Atomic Nucle

Superintegrability on N-dimensional spaces of constant curvature from so(N+1) and its contractions

The Lie-Poisson algebra so(N+1) and some of its contractions are used to construct a family of superintegrable Hamiltonians on the ND spherical, Euclidean, hyperbolic, Minkowskian and (anti-)de Sitter spaces. We firstly present a Hamiltonian which is a superposition of an arbitrary central potential with N arbitrary centrifugal terms. Such a system is quasi-maximally superintegrable since this is endowed with 2N-3 functionally independent constants of the motion (plus the Hamiltonian). Secondly, we identify two maximally superintegrable Hamiltonians by choosing a specific central potential and finding at the same time the remaining integral. The former is the generalization of the Smorodinsky-Winternitz system to the above six spaces, while the latter is a generalization of the Kepler-Coulomb potential, for which the Laplace-Runge-Lenz N-vector is also given. All the systems and constants of the motion are explicitly expressed in a unified form in terms of ambient and polar coordinates as they are parametrized by two contraction parameters (curvature and signature of the metric).Comment: 14 pages. Based on the contribution presented at the "XII International Conference on Symmetry Methods in Physics", Yerevan (Armenia), July 2006. To appear in Physics of Atomic Nucle

Integrable potentials on spaces with curvature from quantum groups

A family of classical integrable systems defined on a deformation of the two-dimensional sphere, hyperbolic and (anti-)de Sitter spaces is constructed through Hamiltonians defined on the non-standard quantum deformation of a sl(2) Poisson coalgebra. All these spaces have a non-constant curvature that depends on the deformation parameter z. As particular cases, the analogues of the harmonic oscillator and Kepler--Coulomb potentials on such spaces are proposed. Another deformed Hamiltonian is also shown to provide superintegrable systems on the usual sphere, hyperbolic and (anti-)de Sitter spaces with a constant curvature that exactly coincides with z. According to each specific space, the resulting potential is interpreted as the superposition of a central harmonic oscillator with either two more oscillators or centrifugal barriers. The non-deformed limit z=0 of all these Hamiltonians can then be regarded as the zero-curvature limit (contraction) which leads to the corresponding (super)integrable systems on the flat Euclidean and Minkowskian spaces.Comment: 19 pages, 1 figure. Two references adde