Generic adjoints in comtrans algebras of bilinear spaces

As a first step towards a general structure theory for comtrans algebras (modeled loosely on the Cartan theory for Lie algebras), this paper investigates comtrans algebras of bilinear spaces. Attention focuses on invariants associated with comtrans algebras, and the extent to which these invariants may serve to specify the algebras up to isomorphism within certain classes. Over fields whose characteristic differs from two, comtrans algebras of symmetric forms are determined up to isomorphism by the eigenvalues of generic adjoints, while comtrans algebras of symplectic forms are determined by the dimensions of maximal abelian subalgebras. Examples show that the multiplicity of zero as a root of the characteristic polynomial is generally independent of the dimension of a maximal abelian subalgebra.