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Eyal Subag

Publications and source records attributed to Eyal Subag.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
arXiv2026

Dual contractions and algebraic families

We introduce a duality for In\"{o}n\"{u}-Wigner contractions attached to real symmetric Lie algebras. Starting from a symmetric pair $(\mathfrak{g},\theta)$, we define a dual real form $\mathfrak{g}^{*}$ inside the complexification of $\mathfrak{g}$ and consider the corresponding contraction with respect to the common fixed-point subalgebra $\mathfrak{g}^{\theta}$. The main result shows that the original contraction and its dual appear as real fibers of a single algebraic family of complex Lie algebras equipped with an anti-holomorphic involution. This places the two contractions in one geometric framework and connects them with the algebraic-family methods developed in recent work on contractions, real forms, and hidden symmetries.

math-ph↗
arXiv2026

A new model for the quantum mechanics of the Hydrogen atom

To every Lorentzian quadratic space $(V,q)$ of even dimension $n$ such that $n\geq 4$ we attach a canonical algebraic quantum mechanical model for a corresponding generalized hydrogen atom system. In our model the configuration space is the regular null cone $C$ of the quadratic space. The Hilbert space $H$ is a canonical $L^2$ space on the cone $C$, and observables are realized in the algebra $D(C)$ of algebraic differential operators on $C$. We also construct a distinguished Schwartz space $S(H)\subset H$, which carries a self-adjoint action of $D(C)$ and encodes the boundary conditions of the standard theory. The role of the Schr\"odinger operator is played by a one-parameter Schr\"odinger family of operators in $D(C)$. We explain how the model relates to the realization of the minimal representation of $O(n,2)$ on $H$. For $n=4$, which corresponds to the physical hydrogen atom system, we prove that the spectrum of the Schr\"odinger family on the upper-half component $S(H)_+$ coincides with the usual spectrum of the hydrogen atom and that the corresponding solution spaces recover the standard physical solutions. The spectrum of the Schr\"odinger family on the lower-half component $S(H)_-$ gives additional positive-energy solution spaces not present in the usual formulation.

math-ph↗
arXiv2025

Dirac operators for algebraic families

We introduce algebraic families of Dirac operators for the deformation family (and other related families) associated with a real reductive Lie group that interpolates the reductive group and the corresponding Cartan motion group. We prove Vogan's conjecture in this setting, relating the infinitesimal character of an algebraic family of Harish-Chandra modules and its Dirac cohomology.

math.RT↗
arXiv2022

Families of Symmetries and the Hydrogen Atom

We study a new type of symmetry for the hydrogen atom involving algebraic families of groups parametrized by the energy value in the time-independent Schrödinger equation. We construct an algebraic family of Harish-Chandra modules from the solutions of the Schrödinger equation, and we characterize this family. We show that the subspaces of physical states may be obtained from our algebraic family using a Jantzen filtration, and we relate our algebraic methods with spectral theory and scattering theory using the limiting absorption principle

math.RT↗
arXiv2018

Symmetries of the hydrogen atom and algebraic families

We show how the Schrödinger equation for the hydrogen atom in two dimensions gives rise to an algebraic family of Harish-Chandra pairs that codifies hidden symmetries. The hidden symmetries vary continuously between $SO(3)$, $SO(2,1)$ and the Euclidean group $O(2)\ltimes \mathbb{R}^2$. We show that solutions of the Schrödinger equation may be organized into an algebraic family of Harish-Chandra modules. Furthermore, we use Jantzen filtration techniques to algebraically recover the spectrum of the Schrödinger operator. This is a first application to physics of the algebraic families of Harish-Chandra pairs and modules developed in the work of Bernstein et al. [Int. Math. Res. Notices, rny147 (2018); rny146 (2018)].

math-ph↗
arXiv2017

Contractions of Degenerate Quadratic Algebras, Abstract and Geometric

Quadratic algebras are generalizations of Lie algebras which include the symmetry algebras of 2nd order superintegrable systems in 2 dimensions as special cases. The superintegrable systems are exactly solvable physical systems in classical and quantum mechanics. Distinct superintegrable systems and their quadratic algebras can be related by geometric contractions, induced by Bôcher contractions of the conformal Lie algebra $\mathfrak{so}(4,\mathbb {C})$ to itself. In 2 dimensions there are two kinds of quadratic algebras, nondegenerate and degenerate. In the geometric case these correspond to 3 parameter and 1 parameter potentials, respectively. In a previous paper we classified all abstract parameter-free nondegenerate quadratic algebras in terms of canonical forms and determined which of these can be realized as quadratic algebras of 2D nondegenerate superintegrable systems on constant curvature spaces and Darboux spaces, and studied the relationship between Bôcher contractions of these systems and abstract contractions of the free quadratic algebras. Here we carry out an analogous study of abstract parameter-free degenerate quadratic algebras and their possible geometric realizations. We show that the only free degenerate quadratic algebras that can be constructed in phase space are those that arise from superintegrability. We classify all Bôcher contractions relating degenerate superintegrable systems and, separately, all abstract contractions relating free degenerate quadratic algebras. We point out the few exceptions where abstract contractions cannot be realized by the geometric Bôcher contractions.

math-ph↗
arXiv2017

The algebraic Mackey-Higson bijections

For a connected semisimple Lie group $G$ we describe an explicit collection of correspondences between the admissible dual of $G$ and the admissible dual of the Cartan motion group associated with $G$. We conjecture that each of these correspondences induces an algebraic isomorphism between the admissible duals. The constructed correspondences are defined in terms of algebraic families of Harish-Chandra modules. We prove that the conjecture holds in the case of $SL_2(\mathbb{R})$, and in that case we give an equivalent characterization for the bijections.

math.RT↗
arXiv2017

Algebraic Families of Harish-Chandra Pairs

Mathematical physicists have studied degenerations of Lie groups and their representations, which they call contractions. In this paper we study these contractions, and also other families, within the framework of algebraic families of Harish-Chandra modules. We construct a family that incorporates both a real reductive group and its compact form, separate parts of which have been studied individually as contractions. We give a complete classification of generically irreducible families of Harish-Chandra modules in the case of the family associated to SL(2, R).

math.RT↗
arXiv2017

Contractions of Representations and Algebraic Families of Harish-Chandra Modules

We examine from an algebraic point of view some families of unitary group representations that arise in mathematical physics and are associated to contraction families of Lie groups. The contraction families of groups relate different real forms of a reductive group and are continuously parametrized, but the unitary representations are defined over a parameter subspace that includes both discrete and continuous parts. Both finite- and infinite-dimensional representations can occur, even within the same family. We shall study the simplest nontrivial examples, and use the concepts of algebraic families of Harish-Chandra pairs and Harish-Chandra modules, introduced in a previous paper, together with the Jantzen filtration, to construct these families of unitary representations algebraically.

math.RT↗
arXiv2017

Algebraic Families of Groups and Commuting Involutions

Let $G$ be a complex affine algebraic group, and let $σ_1$ and $σ_2$ be commuting anti-holomorphic involutions of $G$. We construct an algebraic family of algebraic groups over the complex projective line and a real structure on the family that interpolates between the real forms $G^{σ_1}$ and $G^{σ_2}$.

math.RT↗
arXiv2017

Bôcher and Abstract Contractions of 2nd Order Quadratic Algebras

Quadratic algebras are generalizations of Lie algebras which include the symmetry algebras of 2nd order superintegrable systems in 2 dimensions as special cases. The superintegrable systems are exactly solvable physical systems in classical and quantum mechanics. Distinct superintegrable systems and their quadratic algebras can be related by geometric contractions, induced by Bôcher contractions of the conformal Lie algebra ${\mathfrak{so}}(4,\mathbb {C})$ to itself. In this paper we give a precise definition of Bôcher contractions and show how they can be classified. They subsume well known contractions of ${\mathfrak{e}}(2,\mathbb {C})$ and ${\mathfrak{so}}(3,\mathbb {C})$ and have important physical and geometric meanings, such as the derivation of the Askey scheme for obtaining all hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials as limits of Racah/Wilson polynomials. We also classify abstract nondegenerate quadratic algebras in terms of an invariant that we call a canonical form. We describe an algorithm for finding the canonical form of such algebras. We calculate explicitly all canonical forms arising from quadratic algebras of 2D nondegenerate superintegrable systems on constant curvature spaces and Darboux spaces. We further discuss contraction of quadratic algebras, focusing on those coming from superintegrable systems.

math-ph↗
arXiv2016

Bôcher Contractions of Conformally Superintegrable Laplace Equations

The explicit solvability of quantum superintegrable systems is due to symmetry, but the symmetry is often "hidden". The symmetry generators of 2nd order superintegrable systems in 2 dimensions close under commutation to define quadratic algebras, a generalization of Lie algebras. Distinct systems on constant curvature spaces are related by geometric limits, induced by generalized Inönü-Wigner Lie algebra contractions of the symmetry algebras of the underlying spaces. These have physical/geometric implications, such as the Askey scheme for hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials. However, the limits have no satisfactory Lie algebra contraction interpretations for underlying spaces with 1- or 0-dimensional Lie algebras. We show that these systems can be best understood by transforming them to Laplace conformally superintegrable systems, with flat space conformal symmetry group ${\rm SO}(4,{\mathbb C})$, and using ideas introduced in the 1894 thesis of Bôcher to study separable solutions of the wave equation in terms of roots of quadratic forms. We show that Bôcher's prescription for coalescing roots of these forms induces contractions of the conformal algebra $\mathfrak{so}(4,{\mathbb C})$ to itself and yields a mechanism for classifying all Helmholtz superintegrable systems and their limits. In the paper [Acta Polytechnica, to appear, arXiv:1510.09067], we announced our main findings. This paper provides the proofs and more details.

math-ph↗
arXiv2015

Structure Relations and Darboux Contractions for 2D 2nd Order Superintegrable Systems

Two-dimensional quadratic algebras are generalizations of Lie algebras that include the symmetry algebras of 2nd order superintegrable systems in 2 dimensions as special cases. The superintegrable systems are exactly solvable physical systems in classical and quantum mechanics. Distinct superintegrable systems and their quadratic algebras can be related by geometric contractions, induced by Inönü-Wigner type Lie algebra contractions. These geometric contractions have important physical and geometric meanings, such as obtaining classical phenomena as limits of quantum phenomena as ${\hbar}\to 0$ and nonrelativistic phenomena from special relativistic as $c\to \infty$, and the derivation of the Askey scheme for obtaining all hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials as limits of Racah/Wilson polynomials. In this paper we show how to simplify the structure relations for abstract nondegenerate and degenerate quadratic algebras and their contractions. In earlier papers we have classified contractions of 2nd order superintegrable systems on constant curvature spaces and have shown that all results are derivable from free quadratic algebras contained in the enveloping algebras of the Lie algebras $e(2,{\mathbb C})$ in flat space and $o(3,{\mathbb C})$ on nonzero constant curvature spaces. The quadratic algebra contractions are induced by generalizations of Inönü-Wigner contractions of these Lie algebras. As a special case we obtained the Askey scheme for hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials. Here we complete this theoretical development for 2D superintegrable systems by showing that the Darboux superintegrable systems are also characterized by free quadratic algebras contained in the symmetry algebras of these spaces and that their contractions are also induced by Inönü-Wigner contractions. We present tables of the contraction results.

math-ph↗
arXiv2005

A Possible Hidden Population of Spherical Planetary Nebulae

We argue that relative to non-spherical planetary nebulae (PNs), spherical PNs are about an order of magnitude less likely to be detected, at distances of several kiloparsecs. Noting the structure similarity of halos around non-spherical PNs to that of observed spherical PNs, we assume that most unobserved spherical PNs are also similar in structure to the spherical halos around non-spherical PNs. The fraction of non-spherical PNs with detected spherical halos around them, taken from a recent study, leads us to the claim of a large (relative to that of non-spherical PNs) hidden population of spherical PNs in the visible band. Building a toy model for the luminosity evolution of PNs, we show that the claimed detection fraction of spherical PNs based on halos around non-spherical PNs, is compatible with observational sensitivities. We use this result to update earlier studies on the different PN shaping routes in the binary model. We estimate that ~30% of all PNs are spherical, namely, their progenitors did not interact with any binary companion. This fraction is to be compared with the ~3% fraction of observed spherical PNs among all observed PNs. From all PNs, ~15% owe their moderate elliptical shape to the interaction of their progenitors with planets, while \~55% of all PNs owe their elliptical or bipolar shapes to the interaction of their progenitors with stellar companions.

astro-ph↗