Left-symmetric algebras and homogeneous improper affine spheres

Abstract

The nonzero level sets in $n$-dimensional flat affine space of a translationally homogeneous function are improper affine spheres if and only if the Hessian determinant of the function is equal to a nonzero constant multiple of the $n$th power of the function. The exponentials of the characteristic polynomials of certain left-symmetric algebras yield examples of such functions whose level sets are analogues of the generalized Cayley hypersurface of Eastwood-Ezhov. There are found purely algebraic conditions sufficient for the characteristic polynomial of the left-symmetric algebra to have the desired properties. Precisely, it suffices that the algebra has triangularizable left multiplication operators and the trace of the right multiplication is a Koszul form for which right multiplication by the dual idempotent is projection along its kernel, which equals the derived Lie subalgebra of the left-symmetric algebra.