(Anti)de Sitter/Poincare symmetries and representations from Poincare/Galilei through a classical deformation approach

Abstract

A classical deformation procedure, based on universal enveloping algebras, Casimirs and curvatures of symmetrical homogeneous spaces, is applied to several cases of physical relevance. Starting from the (3+1)D Galilei algebra, we describe at the level of representations the process leading to its two physically meaningful deformed neighbours. The Poincare algebra is obtained by introducing a negative curvature in the flat Galilean phase space (or space of worldlines), while keeping a flat spacetime. To be precise, starting from a representation of the Galilei algebra with both Casimirs different from zero, we obtain a representation of the Poincare algebra with both Casimirs necessarily equal to zero. The Poincare angular momentum, Pauli-Lubanski components, position and velocity operators, etc. are expressed in terms of "Galilean" operators through some expressions deforming the proper Galilean ones. Similarly, the Newton-Hooke algebras appear by endowing spacetime with a non-zero curvature, while keeping a flat phase space. The same approach, starting from the (3+1)D Poincare algebra provides representations of the (anti)de Sitter as Poincare deformations.