The 2+1 Lorentz Group and Its Representations

Abstract: The Lorentz group is a symmetry group on Minkowski space, and as such is central to studying the geometry of this and related spaces. The group therefore shows up also from physical considerations, such as trying to formulate quantum physics in anti-de Sitter space. In this thesis, the Lorentz group in 2+1 dimensions and its representations are investigated, and comparisons are made to the analogous rotation group. Firstly, all unitary irreducible representations are found and classified. Then, those representations are realised as the square-integrable, analytic functions on the unit circle and the unit disk, which turn out to correspond to the projective lightcone and the hyperbolic plane, respectively. Also, a way to realise a particular class of representations on 1+1-dimensional anti-de Sitter space is shown.