Semilinear map

In linear algebra, particularly projective geometry, a semilinear map between vector spaces V and W over a field K is a function that is a linear map "up to a twist", hence semi-linear, where "twist" means "field automorphism of K". Explicitly, it is a function that is:

additive with respect to vector addition:
there exists a field automorphism θ of K such that. If such an automorphism exists and T is nonzero, it is unique, and T is called θ-semilinear.

Where the domain and codomain are the same space, it may be termed a semilinear transformation. The invertible semilinear transforms of a given vector space V form a group, called the general semilinear group and denoted by analogy with and extending the general linear group. The special case where the field is the complex numbers and the automorphism is complex conjugation, a semilinear map is called an antilinear map.
Similar notation is used for semilinear analogs of more restricted linear transformations; formally, the semidirect product of a linear group with the Galois group of field automorphisms. For example, PΣU is used for the semilinear analogs of the projective special unitary group PSU. Note, however, that it was only recently noticed that these generalized semilinear groups are not well-defined, as pointed out in – isomorphic classical groups G and H may have non-isomorphic semilinear extensions. At the level of semidirect products, this corresponds to different actions of the Galois group on a given abstract group, a semidirect product depending on two groups and an action. If the extension is non-unique, there are exactly two semilinear extensions; for example, symplectic groups have a unique semilinear extension, while has two extensions if n is even and q is odd, and likewise for PSU.

Definition

A map for vector spaces and over fields and respectively is -semilinear, or simply semilinear, if there exists a field homomorphism such that for all, in and in it holds that

A given embedding of a field in allows us to identify with a subfield of, making a -semilinear map a K-linear map under this identification. However, a map that is -semilinear for a distinct embedding will not be K-linear with respect to the original identification, unless is identically zero.
More generally, a map between a right -module and a left -module is -semilinear if there exists a ring antihomomorphism such that for all, in and in it holds that

The term semilinear applies for any combination of left and right modules with suitable adjustment of the above expressions, with being a homomorphism as needed.
The pair is referred to as a dimorphism.

Transpose

Let be a ring isomorphism, a right -module and a right -module, and a -semilinear map. Define the transpose of as the mapping that satisfies
This is a -semilinear map.

Properties

Let be a ring isomorphism, a right -module and a right -module, and a -semilinear map. The mapping
defines an -linear form.

Examples

Let with standard basis. Define the map by
:
Let – the Galois field of order, p the characteristic. Let. By the Freshman's dream it is known that this is a field automorphism. To every linear map between vector spaces V and W over K we can establish a -semilinear map
:
Let be a noncommutative ring, a left -module, and an invertible element of. Define the map, so, and is an inner automorphism of. Thus, the homothety need not be a linear map, but is -semilinear.
General semilinear group

Given a vector space V, the set of all invertible semilinear transformations is the group ΓL.
Given a vector space V over K, ΓL decomposes as the semidirect product
where Aut is the automorphisms of K. Similarly, semilinear transforms of other linear groups can be defined as the semidirect product with the automorphism group, or more intrinsically as the group of semilinear maps of a vector space preserving some properties.
We identify Aut with a subgroup of ΓL by fixing a basis B for V and defining the semilinear maps:
for any. We shall denoted this subgroup by Aut_B. We also see these complements to GL in ΓL are acted on regularly by GL as they correspond to a change of basis.

Proof

Every linear map is semilinear, thus. Fix a basis B of V. Now given any semilinear map f with respect to a field automorphism, then define by
As f is also a basis of V, it follows that g is simply a basis exchange of V and so linear and invertible:.
Set. For every in V,
thus h is in the Aut subgroup relative to the fixed basis B. This factorization is unique to the fixed basis B. Furthermore, GL is normalized by the action of Aut_B, so.

Applications

Projective geometry

The groups extend the typical classical groups in GL. The importance in considering such maps follows from the consideration of projective geometry. The induced action of on the associated projective space P yields the , denoted, extending the projective linear group, PGL.
The projective geometry of a vector space V, denoted PG, is the lattice of all subspaces of V. Although the typical semilinear map is not a linear map, it does follow that every semilinear map induces an order-preserving map. That is, every semilinear map induces a projectivity. The converse of this observation is the fundamental theorem of projective geometry. Thus semilinear maps are useful because they define the automorphism group of the projective geometry of a vector space.

Mathieu group

The group PΓL can be used to construct the Mathieu group M₂₄, which is one of the sporadic simple groups; PΓL is a maximal subgroup of M₂₄, and there are many ways to extend it to the full Mathieu group.