In the framework of algebraic supergeometry, the authors give a construction of the scheme-theoretic supergeometric analogue of split reductive algebraic group-schemes, namely affine algebraic supergroups associated to simple Lie superalgebras of classical type. In particular, all Lie superalgebras of both basic and strange types are considered. This provides a unified approach to most of the algebraic supergroups considered so far in the literature, and an effective method to construct new ones. The authors' method follows the pattern of a suitable scheme-theoretic revisitation of Chevalley's construction of semisimple algebraic groups, adapted to the reductive case. As an intermediate step, they prove an existence theorem for Chevalley bases of simple classical Lie superalgebras and a PBW-like theorem for their associated Kostant superalgebras.

Supersymmetry was created by the physicists in the 1970's to give a unified treatment of fermions and bosons, the basic constituents of matter. Since then its mathematical structure has been recognized as that of a new development in geometry, and mathematicians have busied themselves with exploring this aspect. This volume collects recent advances in this field, both from a physical and a mathematical point of view, with an accent on a rigorous treatment of the various questions raised.

The articles highlight the latest advances and further research directions in a variety of subjects related to tensor categories and Hopf algebras. Primary topics discussed in the text include the classification of Hopf algebras, structures and actions of Hopf algebras, algebraic supergroups, representations of quantum groups, quasi-quantum groups, algebras in tensor categories, and the construction method of fusion categories.

There are two approaches to projective representation theory of symmetric and alternating groups, which are powerful enough to work for modular representations. One is based on Sergeev duality, which connects projective representation theory of the symmetric group and representation theory of the algebraic supergroup $Q(n)$ via appropriate Schur (super)algebras and Schur functors. The second approach follows the work of Grojnowski for classical affine and cyclotomic Hecke algebras and connects projective representation theory of symmetric groups in characteristic $p$ to the crystal graph of the basic module of the twisted affine Kac-Moody algebra of type $A_{p-1}^{(2)}$. The goal of this work is to connect the two approaches mentioned above and to obtain new branching results for projective representations of symmetric groups.

Suppose $G$ is a real reductive algebraic group, $\theta$ is an automorphism of $G$, and $\omega$ is a quasicharacter of the group of real points $G(\mathbf{R})$. Under some additional assumptions, the theory of twisted endoscopy associates to this triple real reductive groups $H$. The Local Langlands Correspondence partitions the admissible representations of $H(\mathbf{R})$ and $G(\mathbf{R})$ into $L$-packets. The author proves twisted character identities between $L$-packets of $H(\mathbf{R})$ and $G(\mathbf{R})$ comprised of essential discrete series or limits of discrete series.

This book treats the two-dimensional non-linear supersymmetric sigma model or spinning string from the perspective of supergeometry. The objective is to understand its symmetries as geometric properties of super Riemann surfaces, which are particular complex super manifolds of dimension 1|1. The first part gives an introduction to the super differential geometry of families of super manifolds. Appropriate generalizations of principal bundles, smooth families of complex manifolds and integration theory are developed. The second part studies uniformization, U(1)-structures and connections on Super Riemann surfaces and shows how the latter can be viewed as extensions of Riemann surfaces by a gravitino field. A natural geometric action functional on super Riemann surfaces is shown to reproduce the action functional of the non-linear supersymmetric sigma model using a component field formalism. The conserved currents of this action can be identified as infinitesimal deformations of the super Riemann surface. This is in surprising analogy to the theory of Riemann surfaces and the harmonic action functional on them. This volume is aimed at both theoretical physicists interested in a careful treatment of the subject and mathematicians who want to become acquainted with the potential applications of this beautiful theory.

Just as groups can have representations on vector spaces, 2-groups have representations on 2-vector spaces, but Lie 2-groups typically have few representations on the finite-dimensional 2-vector spaces introduced by Kapranov and Voevodsky. Therefore, Crane, Sheppeard, and Yetter introduced certain infinite-dimensional 2-vector spaces, called measurable categories, to study infinite-dimensional representations of certain Lie 2-groups, and German and North American mathematicians continue that work here. After introductory matters, they cover representations of 2-groups, and measurable categories, representations on measurable categories. There is no index. Annotation ©2012 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).