NONRELATIVISTIC CONFORMAL GROUPS

In this work a systematic study of finite-dimensional nonrelativistic conformal groups is carried out under two complementary points of view . First, the conformal Killing equation is solved to obtain a whole fa mily of finite-dimensional conformal algebras corresponding to each of the Galilei and Newton-Hooke kinematical groups. Some of their algebr aic and geometrical properties are studied in a second step. Among the groups included in these families one can identify, for example, the contraction of the Minkowski conformal group, the analog for a nonrela tivistic de Sitter space, or the nonextended Schrodinger group. (C) 19 97 American Institute of Physics.