On Ricci negative derivations

Abstract

Given a nilpotent Lie algebra, we study the space of all diagonalizable derivations such that the corresponding one-dimensional solvable extension admits a left-invariant metric with negative Ricci curvature. Lauret and Will have conjectured that such a space coincides with an open and convex subset of derivations defined in terms of the moment map for the variety of nilpotent Lie algebras. We prove the validity of the conjecture in dimensions ≤ 5, as well as for Heisenberg Lie algebras and standard filiform Lie algebras.