Jordan triple product


Given a Jordan algebraMathworldPlanetmath J we define a ternary product on J by

{xyz}=(x.y).z+(y.z).x-(z.x).y.

When J is a special Jordan algebra of characteristic not 2, we know the product x.y=12(xy+yx). In this context a computation shows

{xyz}=12(xyz+zyx).

This gives a simple method by which to compute the triple product in a special Jordan algebra.

A key instance of the Jordan triple product is the case when x=z (setting x.2=x.x for notation). Here we get

{xyx}=2(x.y).x-x.2.y.

In a special Jordan algebra this becomes {xyx}=xyx in the associative product. To treat a Jordan algebra as a quadratic Jordan algebra this product plays the role of one of the two quadratic operations: Uy:y{xyx}. The other is the usual squaring product yy.2.

To establish uniform proof for Jordan algebra in characteristic 2 and also include exceptional Jordan algebras it is often preferable to encode computations using the unary product: x.2 and the triple product {xyz}. The connection between the triple product and the quadratic unary product is found in the Jordan identity:

(a.2.b).a=a.2.(b.a)

This idea was exploited by McCrimmon to establish quadratic Jordan algebras and many uniform and previously unknown results on Jordan algebras.

The triple product can be compared to the Jacobi product on an algebraPlanetmathPlanetmath with a [,] multiplication

#xyz#=[[x,y],z]+[[y,z],x]+[[z,x],y].

To make a closer parallel use the typical assumption that [z,x]=-[x,z] (outside of characteristic 0) then we can write:

#xyz#=[[x,y],z]+[[y,z],x]-[[x,z],y].

Since Jordan algebras are commutativePlanetmathPlanetmathPlanetmathPlanetmath we can also write

{xyz}=(x.y).z+(y.z).x-(x.z).y.

However, unlike Lie algebrasMathworldPlanetmath where #xyz#=0, in Jordan algebras the triple product is almost never 0.

Title Jordan triple product
Canonical name JordanTripleProduct
Date of creation 2013-03-22 16:27:27
Last modified on 2013-03-22 16:27:27
Owner Algeboy (12884)
Last modified by Algeboy (12884)
Numerical id 7
Author Algeboy (12884)
Entry type Definition
Classification msc 17C05
Defines Jordan triple product