Heisenberg group Heisenberg group In mathematics, the Heisenberg group formula_1, named after Werner Heisenberg, is the group of 3×3 upper triangular matrices of the form under the operation of matrix multiplication. Elements "a, b" and "c" can be taken from any commutative ring with identity, often taken to be the ring of real numbers (resulting in the "continuous Heisenberg group") or the ring of integers (resulting in the "discrete Heisenberg group"). The continuous Heisenberg group arises in the description of one-dimensional quantum mechanical systems, especially in the context of the Stone–von Neumann theorem. More generally, one can consider Heisenberg groups associated to
Heisenberg group operators on formula_103: for formula_109. So too do the multiplications by characters: for formula_111. These operators do not commute, and instead satisfy multiplication by a fixed unit modulus complex number. So the Heisenberg group formula_113 associated with "K" is a type of central extension of formula_114, via an exact sequence of groups: More general Heisenberg groups are described by 2-cocyles in the cohomology group formula_116. The existence of a duality between formula_117 and formula_101 gives rise to a canonical cocycle, but there are generally others. The Heisenberg group acts irreducibly on formula_103. Indeed, the continuous characters separate points so any