Ternary analogues of lie and Malcev algebras

We consider two analogues of associativity for ternary algebras: total and partial associativity. Using the corresponding ternary associators, we define ternary analogues of alternative and assosymmetric algebras. On any ternary algebra the alternating sum [a, b, c] = abc - acb - bac + bca + cab - cba (the ternary analogue of the Lie bracket) defines a structure of an anticommutative ternary algebra. We determine the polynomial identities of degree <= 7 satisfied by this operation in totally and partially associative, alternative, and assosymmetric ternary algebras. These identities define varieties of ternary algebras which can be regarded as ternary analogues of Lie and Malcev algebras. Our methods involve computational linear algebra based on the representation theory of the symmetric group. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.