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Poisson algebra

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A Poisson algebra is an associative algebra together with a Lie bracket, satisfying Leibniz' law. More precisely, a Poisson algebra is a vector space over a field K equipped with two bilinear products, <math>\cdot<math> and [,] such that <math>\cdot<math> forms an associative K-algebra and [,], called the Poisson bracket, forms a Lie algebra, and for any three elements x, y and z, [x, yz] = [x, y]z + y[x, z] (i.e. the Poisson bracket acts as a derivation).

Examples

  1. The space of smooth functions over a symplectic manifold.
  2. If A is a noncommutative associative algebra, then the commutator [x,y]≡xy-yx turns it into a Poisson algebra.

See also

Poisson manifold, Poisson superalgebra, antibracket algebra

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