Derivations of the Lie Algebras of Differential Operators

Abstract

This paper encloses a complete and explicit description of the derivations of the Lie algebra D(M) of all linear differential operators of a smooth manifold M, of its Lie subalgebra D^1(M) of all linear first-order differential operators of M, and of the Poisson algebra S(M)=Pol(T*M) of all polynomial functions on T*M, the symbols of the operators in D(M). It turns out that, in terms of the Chevalley cohomology, H^1(D(M),D(M))=H^1_{DR}(M), H^1(D^1(M),D^1(M))=H^1_{DR}(M)\oplus\R^2, and H^1(S(M),S(M))=H^1_{DR}(M)\oplus\R. The problem of distinguishing those derivations that generate one-parameter groups of automorphisms and describing these one-parameter groups is also solved.