Cocharacters for the weak polynomial identities of the Lie algebra of $3\times 3$ skew-symmetric matrices

Abstract: Let $so_3(K)$ be the Lie algebra of $3\times 3$ skew-symmetric matrices over a field $K$ of characteristic 0. The ideal $I(M_3(K),so_3(K))$ of the weak polynomial identities of the pair $(M_3(K),so_3(K))$ consists of the elements $f(x_1,\ldots,x_n)$ of the free associative algebra $K\langle X\rangle$ with the property that $f(a_1,\ldots,a_n)=0$ in the algebra $M_3(K)$ of all $3\times 3$ matrices for all $a_1,\ldots,a_n\in so_3(K)$. The generators of $I(M_3(K),so_3(K))$ were found by Razmyslov in the 1980's. In this paper the cocharacter sequence of $I(M_3(K),so_3(K))$ is computed. In other words, the ${\mathrm{GL}}_p(K)$-module structure of the algebra generated by $p$ generic skew-symmetric matrices is determined. Moreover, the same is done for the closely related algebra of $\mathrm{SO}_3(K)$-equivariant polynomial maps from the space of $p$-tuples of $3\times 3$ skew-symmetric matrices into $M_3(K)$ (endowed with the conjugation action). In the special case $p=3$ the latter algebra is a module over a $6$-variable polynomial subring in the algebra of $\mathrm{SO}_3(K)$-invariants of triples of $3\times 3$ skew-symmetric matrices, and a free resolution of this module is found. The proofs involve methods and results of classical invariant theory, representation theory of the general linear group and explicit computations with matrices.