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Clifford algebra (Definition)

Let $V$ be a vector space over a field $k$ , and $Q:V\times V\to k$ a symmetric bilinear form. Then the Clifford algebra $\Cliff(Q,V)$ is the quotient of the tensor algebra $\mc{T}(V)$ by the relations

$$v\otimes w+w\otimes v=-2Q(v,w)\qquad \forall v,w\in V.$$

Since the above relationship is not homogeneous in the usual $\Z$ -grading on $\mc{T}(V)$ , $\Cliff(Q,V)$ does not inherit a $\Z$ -grading. However, by reducing mod 2, we also have a $\Z_2$ -grading on $\mc{T}(V)$ , and the relations above are homogeneous with respect to this, so $\Cliff(Q,V)$ has a natural $\Z_2$ -grading, which makes it into a superalgebra.

In addition, we do have a filtration on $\Cliff(Q,V)$ (making it a filtered algebra), and the associated graded algebra $\Gr\Cliff(Q,V)$ is simply $\Lambda^*V$ , the exterior algebra of $V$ . In particular, $$\dim\Cliff(Q,V)=\dim\Lambda^*V=2^{\dim V}.$$

The most commonly used Clifford algebra is the case $V=\R^n$ , and $Q$ is the standard inner product with orthonormal basis $e_1,\ldots,e_n$ . In this case, the algebra is generated by $e_1,\ldots,e_n$ and the identity of the algebra $1$ , with the relations

$\displaystyle e_i^2$ $\displaystyle =-1$    
$\displaystyle e_ie_j$ $\displaystyle =-e_je_i \quad (i\neq j)$    

Trivially, $\Cliff(\R^0)=\R$ , and it can be seen from the relations above that $\Cliff(\R)\cong\C$ , the complex numbers, and $\Cliff(\R^2)\cong\mathbb{H}$ , the quaternions.

On the other ha nd, for $V=\C^n$ we get the particularly simple answer of $$\Cliff(\C^{2k}) \cong \mathrm{M}_{2^k}(\C) \qquad \Cliff(\C^{2k+1}) = \mathrm{M}_{2^k}(\C) \oplus \mathbf{M}_{2^k}(\C).$$




"Clifford algebra" is owned by rmilson. [ full author list (2) | owner history (1) ]
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Cross-references: quaternions, complex numbers, identity, generated by, algebra, orthonormal basis, inner product, exterior algebra, graded algebra, filtered algebra, filtration, addition, superalgebra, homogeneous, relations, tensor algebra, quotient, symmetric bilinear form, field, vector space
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This is version 6 of Clifford algebra, born on 2002-12-21, modified 2005-10-19.
Object id is 3803, canonical name is CliffordAlgebra2.
Accessed 9989 times total.

Classification:
AMS MSC11E88 (Number theory :: Forms and linear algebraic groups :: Quadratic spaces; Clifford algebras)
 15A66 (Linear and multilinear algebra; matrix theory :: Clifford algebras, spinors)

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