A G-grading on an algebra, where G is an abelian group, is called multiplicity-free if each homogeneous component of the grading is 1-dimensional. We introduce skew root systems of Lie type and skew root systems of Jordan type, and use them to construct multiplicity-free gradings on semisimple Lie algebras and on semisimple Jordan algebras respectively. Under certain conditions the corresponding Lie (resp., Jordan) algebras are simple. Two families of skew root systems of Lie type (resp., of Jordan type) are constructed and the corresponding Lie (resp., Jordan) algebras are identified. This is a new approach to study abelian group gradings on Lie and Jordan algebras.
A new approach to the representation theory of semisimple Lie algebras and quantum algebras
