Published online by Cambridge University Press: 13 July 2011
Let A1 = K〈X, Y|[Y, X]=1〉 be the (first) Weyl algebra over a field K of characteristic zero. It is known that the set of eigenvalues of the inner derivation ad(YX) of A1 is ℤ. Let A1 → A1, X ↦ x, Y ↦ y, be a K-algebra homomorphism, i.e. [y, x] = 1. It is proved that the set of eigenvalues of the inner derivation ad(yx) of the Weyl algebra A1 is ℤ and the eigenvector algebra of ad(yx) is K〈x, y〉 (this would be an easy corollary of the Problem/Conjecture of Dixmier of 1968 [still open]: is an algebra endomorphism of A1 an automorphism?).