Questions tagged [lie-algebras]
Lie algebras are algebraic structures which were introduced to study the concept of infinitesimal transformations. The term "Lie algebra" (after Sophus Lie) was introduced by Hermann Weyl in the 1930s. In older texts, the name "infinitesimal group" is used. Related mathematical concepts include Lie groups and differentiable manifolds.
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Is a 8-dimensional quadratic form recognized by its Lie algebra, modulo equivalence and scalar multiplication?
Question. Let $K$ be a field of characteristic zero (large characteristic should be fine too). Let $q,q'$ be two non-degenerate quadratic forms on $K^n$ with $n=8$. Suppose that the Lie algebras $\...
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Are all stabilizer groups of the co-adjoint action smooth?
Let $k$ be a (non-archimedean) local field of positive characteristic $p$ and $\mathfrak{n}$ be any finite-dimensional nilpotent Lie algebra over $k$ with nilpotence length $l<p$. It is well-known ...
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Finite dimensional Lie algebra with non-degenerate invariant bilinear forms $\Omega_{ab}$
Firstly, my apology to MO experts that I am in a more science/physics background (a PhD). So please feel free refine/modify/comment my language if I have different math accents than yours. From ...
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3
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Complete classification of six dimensional non-semi simple Lie algebra
I would aim to know the complete classification of 6 dimensional non-semi simple Lie algebra (here the dimension stands for the generators; or the dimension $\leq 6$).
In this paper, in page 7, it ...
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The existence of a finite dimensional Lie algebra with a given symmetric invariant metric
The question is motivated by a more broad perspective in another MO post and here, but here we would like to understand a specific case (our question potentially connects to / is motivated b Quantum ...
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Relationship between the representation theory of $\operatorname{Spin}(n)$ and $\operatorname{SO}(n)$
$\DeclareMathOperator\SO{SO}\DeclareMathOperator\Spin{Spin}$What is the exact relationship between the finite dimensional representations of the group $\SO(n)$ and its covering group $\Spin(n)$? More ...
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A particular Lie algebra $L_{n}$ and (various) lie groups whose Lie algebra is isomorphic to $L_{n}$
Edit: According to the comment by @LSpice we realise the existing link to the main motivation of the question is not available. Then we search for the paper we found the following version:
https://www....
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Characterization of the weight orbit in the projective space via second order Casimir.
This is the spin-off of the question I previously asked.
First, let me remind you some notation from that question:
$G_0$ - compact, simply connected Lie group giving rise (by complexification) ...
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Automorphism group of a Lie group $G$ vs that of a covering group $\tilde G$: same or not?
Is it true or false that the Inner (Inn), Outer (Out) and Total (Aut) Automorphism of a Lie group $G$ is the same as the covering group of the Lie group, say $\tilde G$ (regardless of how many types ...
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Why study Lie algebras?
I don't mean to be rude asking this question, I know that the theory of Lie groups and Lie algebras is a very deep one, very aesthetic and that has broad applications in various areas of mathematics ...
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What role does the "dual Coxeter number" play in Lie theory (and should it be called the "Kac number")?
While trying to get some perspective on the extensive literature about highest weight modules for affine Lie algebras relative to "level" (work by Feigin, E. Frenkel, Gaitsgory, Kac, ....), I run into ...
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What does the generating function $x/(1 - e^{-x})$ count?
Let $x$ be a formal (or small, since the function is analytic) variable, and consider the power series
$$ A(x) = \frac{x}{1 - e^{-x}} = \sum_{m=0}^\infty \left( -\sum_{n=1}^\infty \frac{(-x)^n}{(n+1)!}...
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Why should affine lie algebras and quantum groups have equivalent representation theories?
Let $\mathfrak{g}$ be a simple lie algebra over $\mathbb{C}$ and let $\hat{\mathfrak{g}}$ be the Kac-Moody algebra obtained as the canonical central extension of the algebraic loop algebra $\mathfrak{...
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Why do Lie algebras pop up, from a categorical point of view?
Groups pop up as automorphism groups in any category.
Rings pop up as endomorphism rings in any additive category.
Is there a similar way to attach a Lie algebra to an object in a category of a ...
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Isometry group of a homogeneous space
Background
Let $(M,g)$ be a finite-dimensional riemannian (or more generally pseudoriemannian) manifold. Suppose that I know that a certain Lie group $G$ acts transitively and isometrically on $M$ ...
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Why the BGG category O?
Given a finite-dimensional semisimple complex Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$, the Bernstein-Gelfand-Gelfand category $\mathcal O$ is the full subcategory of $\mathfrak g$-modules satisfying some ...
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A mysterious Heisenberg algebra identity from Sylvester, 1867
I am trying to understand two papers by James Joseph Sylvester:
P92: "Note on the properties of the test operators which occur in the calculus of invariants, their derivatives, analogues, and laws of ...
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Is there an accessible exposition of Gelfand-Tsetlin theory?
I'm hoping to start an undergraduate on a project that involves understanding a bit of Gelfand-Tsetlin theory, and have been tearing my hair out looking for a good reference for them to look at. ...
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Cohomology of Lie groups and Lie algebras
The length of this question has got a little bit out of hand. I apologize.
Basically, this is a question about the relationship between the cohomology of Lie groups and Lie algebras, and maybe ...
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Is the sequence of partition numbers log-concave?
Let $p(n)$ denote the number of partitions of a positive integer $n$. It seems to me that we have for all $n>25$
$$
p(n)^2>p(n-1)p(n+1).
$$
In other words, the sequence $(p(n))_{n\in \mathbb{N}}$...
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Pythagorean 5-tuples
What is the solution of the equation $x^2+y^2+z^2+t^2=w^2$ in polynomials over C ("Pythagorean 5-tuples")?
There are simple formulas describing Pythagorean n-tuples for n=3,4,6:
n=3. The formula ...
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Lie groups vs Lie monoids
Does there exist a well developed theory of a class of objects which might rightfully be called Lie monoids? By this I mean with axioms similar to those of Lie groups, but with the axiomatic existence ...
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Can one show the equivalence of the abstract and classical Jordan decompositions for simple Lie algebras without complete reducibility?
The following fact is basic in the theory of complex Lie algebras:
Theorem. Let ${\mathfrak g} \subset {\mathfrak gl}_n({\bf C})$ be a simple Lie algebra, and let $x \in {\mathfrak g}$. Let $x = ...
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Curious fact about number of roots of $\mathfrak{sl}_n$
The Lie algebra $\mathfrak{sl}_n $ has many special features which are not shared by other simple Lie algebras, for example all of its fundamental representations are minuscule.
I recently discovered ...
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2
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Who originated the standard symbols for Lie groups GL, SL, SU, etc.?
Who was first to use symbols GL, SL, O, SO, U, SU, Sp and their projective versions, and how did this notation become standard?
The notation appears in fairly modern form in Weyl's "The Classical ...
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Motivation for Hall-Witt identity
I've wondered for a while about the (Hall-)Witt identity in group theory:
$[[a,b^{-1}],c]^b \cdot [[b,c^{-1}],a]^c \cdot [[c,a^{-1}]],b]^a = 1$.
(Here, $x^y$ means $y^{-1}xy$ and $[x,y]$ means $...
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$8 \times 31 = 8 \times 31$?
The Lie algebra $\mathfrak{e}_8$ has (at least) two ways to be written as a direct sum of $31$ Cartan subalgebras.
First, Thompson and Smith showed that the (compact or complex) Lie group $\mathrm{E}...
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3
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What is the Zariski closure of the space of semisimple Lie algebras?
Given Leonid Positselski's excellent answer and comments to this question, I expect that the present one is a hard question. Recall that the Lie algebra structures on a (finite-dimensional over $\...
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Is every G-invariant function on a Lie algebra a trace?
I am in the (slow) process of editing my notes on Lie Groups and Quantum Groups (V Serganova, Math 261B, UC Berkeley, Spring 2010. Mostly I can fill in gaps to arguments, but I have found myself ...
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Basis-free definition of Casimir element?
Let $V$ be a finite-dimensional vector space and let $\mathfrak g \subset \mathfrak{gl}(V)$ be a representation of a semisimple Lie algebra on $V$. Let $e_1, \dots, e_n$ be a basis for $V$. Let $e_1', ...
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Does a finite-dimensional Lie algebra always exponentiate into a universal covering group
Hi,
I am a theoretical physicist with no formal "pure math" education, so please calibrate my questions accordingly.
Consider a finite-dimensional Lie algebra, A, spanned by its d generators, X_1,.....
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Polynomial invariants of the exceptional Weyl groups
Let $\mathfrak{g}$ be a simple complex Lie algebra, and let $\mathfrak{h} \subset \mathfrak{g}$ be a fixed Cartan subalgebra. Let $W$ be the Weyl group associated to $\mathfrak{g}$. Let $S(\mathfrak{h}...
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Folding by Automorphisms
Background reading: John Stembridge's webpage.
The idea is that when you want to prove a theorem for all root systems, sometimes it suffices to prove the result for the simply laced case, and then ...
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How to interpret the Sugawara construction from a physical or mathematical viewpoint?
In theoretical physics, the Sugawara theory is a set of formulae and theorems that allow one to construct a stress-energy tensor of a specific type of conformal field theory from a bilinear expression ...
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Construction of the Lie functor: left vs. right invariant vector fields on Lie groups and Lie groupoids
When constructing the Lie algebra $L(G)$ of a Lie group $G$, one usually uses the identification of the tangent space $T_1 G$ with left invariant vector fields $\mathcal{V}^l(G)$ to construct the Lie ...
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4
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How many three dimensional real Lie algebras are there?
The main point of the question is: I would like to know whether there are only finitely many, countable infinitely many or even uncountable many isomorphism classes of $3$-dimensional real lie ...
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factorization of the regular representation of the symmetric group
Let $\mathbb{C}[S_n]$ be the regular representation of the symmetric group $S_n$, and let $\mathbb{C}^n$ be the vector representation.
Question: Does there exist a representation $V$ (of dimension $(...
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About the intrinsic definition of the Weyl group of complex semisimple Lie algebras
It may be a easy question for experts.
The definition of the Weyl group of a complex semisimple Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$ is well-known: We first $\textbf{choose}$ a Cartan subalgebra $\mathfrak{h}$...
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Ternary "Lie structure"
One of the motivation of the theory of Lie Algebras is that every associative algebra $A$ is a LA when the bracket is defined by $[a,b]=ab-ba$ : this is skew-symmetric and satisfies the Jacobi ...
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Intuition for the Cartan connection and "rolling without slipping" in Cartan geometry
Consider a Cartan geometry $\pi: \mathcal{G} \to M$ with Cartan connection $\omega$ modelled on the Klein geometry $(G, H)$.
The Cartan connection is supposed to formalize what it means to "roll ...
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2
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Annihilate a simple Lie algebra using two commutators
Let $\mathfrak{g}$ be a simple finite-dimensional Lie algebra over an arbitrary field $K$. For any nonzero $x\in\mathfrak{g}$ we must have $[\mathfrak{g},x]\neq\{0\}$, or else we violate simplicity.
...
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For $\mathfrak g$ A Lie algebra of type $ E_7 $, $\mathfrak h $ a Cartan subalgebra and $\Delta$ the resulting root system, does $ Aut(\mathfrak g,\mathfrak h)\rightarrow Aut(\Delta) $ split over the Weyl group?
Given a complex simple Lie algebra $ \mathfrak g $ of type $E_7$, Cartan subalgebra $ \mathfrak h $ and simple roots $\alpha_1,…\alpha_n $, suppose $\pi $ is an involution of the extended Dynkin ...
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What is the relation between spherical principal series representations of a reductive Liegroup and Verma modules for its Lie algebra?
Here is an issue that thoroughly confuses me. I hope I can express it in a way that is clear cut enough for this site.
Let $G$ be a real reductive Lie group and $\mathfrak{g}$ be the complexification ...
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3
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Where does the really nice '8-dimensional' description of the $E_7$ root system come from?
The Wikipedia page on $E_7$ tells me:
Even though the roots span a 7-dimensional space, it is more symmetric and convenient to represent them as vectors lying in a 7-dimensional subspace of an 8-...
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1
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decompositions for exceptional Lie algebras $E_6$, $E_7$ and $E_8$
Do anybody know , why can we write the following decompositions for exceptional Lie algebras $E_6$, $E_7$ and $E_8$
1) $E_8=(V^{\star}\otimes \wedge^{8}V^{\star})\bigoplus \wedge^{6}V^{\star}\...
user21574
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1
answer
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What are Harish-Chandra bimodules used for?
There are many recent papers on classification of Harish-Chandra bimodules for rational Cherednik algebras and, more generally, non-commutative algebras which are quantizations of symplectic ...
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What's the dimension of the Lie algebra generated by transpositions on $n$ objects?
Define a Lie bracket on the group algebra of the permutation group $S_n$ in the following way:
$$[\sigma, \tau] = \sigma\circ\tau - \tau\circ\sigma,$$
where $\sigma, \tau \in S_n$, and the ...
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finding highest weight of dual of a representation of a semisimple lie algebra
If V is an irreducible representation of a semi simple lie algebra having highest weight λ then what will be the highest weight of the corresponding irreducible representation V∗ (Dual of V)?
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Variety of nilpotent Lie algebras or $p$-groups
Here's a couple of analogous questions, one in terms of finite-dimensional complex Lie algebras and one in terms of finite $p$-groups; I'd be interested in an answer to either:
1) Let $\mathcal{L}$ ...
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2
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804
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Geodesics on $SU(4)$
Are the geodesics of the following metrics on $SU(4)$ known or easy (in a way not known to me!) to find?
In the adjoint representation, one can express the Killing form as a matrix and consider it as ...
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