Lie subalgebras of vector fields on curves

Abstract

We study the subalgebra structure of Krichever-Novikov algebras, which are Lie algebras of vector fields on smooth affine curves. Our main result is that every infinite-dimensional subalgebra of a Krichever-Novikov algebra is isomorphic to a finite-codimensional subalgebra of another Krichever-Novikov algebra. We then present some applications of our main result. First, we show that the universal enveloping algebra of any such infinite-dimensional subalgebra is not noetherian. We then prove that all Krichever-Novikov algebras satisfy the Dixmier property that all their nonzero endomorphisms are automorphisms, except for the Witt algebra of vector fields on the once-punctured affine line. Finally, we provide an explicit classification of the infinite-dimensional subalgebras of the Witt algebra.