Geometric features of Vessiot--Guldberg Lie algebras of conformal and Killing vector fields on ${\mathbb{R}}^2$

Abstract

This paper locally classifies finite-dimensional Lie algebras of conformal and Killing vector fields on ${\mathbb{R}}^2$ relative to an arbitrary pseudo-Riemannian metric. Several results about their geometric properties are detailed, e.g. their invariant distributions and induced symplectic structures. Findings are illustrated with two examples of physical nature: the Milne--Pinney equation and the projective Schrödinger equation on the Riemann sphere.

22 pages