A note on the Baker--Campbell--Hausdorff series in terms of right-nested commutators

Abstract

We get compact expressions for the Baker--Campbell--Hausdorff series $Z = \log(\e^X \, \e^Y)$ in terms of right-nested commutators. The reduction in the number of terms originates from two facts: (i) we use as a starting point an explicit expression directly involving independent commutators and (ii) we derive a complete set of identities arising among right-nested commutators. The procedure allows us to obtain the series with fewer terms than when expressed in the classical Hall basis at least up to terms of grade 10.

13 pages, no figures