Generators and relations for (generalised) Cartan type superalgebras

Abstract

In Kac's classification of finite-dimensional Lie superalgebras, the contragredient ones can be constructed from Dynkin diagrams similar to those of the simple finite-dimensional Lie algebras, but with additional types of nodes. For example, A(n-1,0) = s (1|n) can be constructed by adding a "gray" node to the Dynkin diagram of An-1 = s (n), corresponding to an odd null root. The Cartan superalgebras constitute a difierent class, where the simplest example is Wpnq, the derivation algebra of the Grassmann algebra on n generators. Here we present a novel construction of Wpnq, from the same Dynkin diagram as A(n-1,0), but with additional generators and relations.