Arithmetic differential equations on $$GL_n$$ G L n , II: arithmetic Lie–Cartan theory

Abstract

Motivated by the search of a concept of linearity in the theory of arithmetic differential equations (Buium in Arithmetic differential equations. Math. surveys and monographs, vol 118. American Mathematical Society, Providence, 2005), we introduce here an arithmetic analogue of Lie algebras, of Chern connections, and of Maurer–Cartan connections. Our arithmetic analogues of Chern connections are certain remarkable lifts of Frobenius on the p-adic completion of \(GL_n\) which are uniquely determined by certain compatibilities with the “outer” involutions defined by symmetric (respectively, antisymmetric) matrices. The Christoffel symbols of our arithmetic Chern connections will involve a matrix analogue of the Legendre symbol. The analogues of Maurer–Cartan connections can then be viewed as families of “linear” flows attached to each of our Chern connections. We will also investigate the compatibility of lifts of Frobenius with the inner automorphisms of \(GL_n\); in particular, we will prove the existence and uniqueness of certain arithmetic analogues of “isospectral flows” on the space of matrices.