Simple associative algebras with finite Z-grading

In this paper we give a description of finite Z-gradings of simple associative algebras. As a corollary of this description we obtain that any simple Lie algebra from a certain class has a Z-grading with at most 5 summands. This fact in turn allows one to realize these algebras as a generalized Tits-Kantor-Koecher construction.

(This paper has appeared in J. Algebr 196 (1997), 171--184)

O. N. Smirnov <smirnov@oreo.uottawa.ca>