4 added 44 characters in body

To give something explicit in sine and cosine,

$$\left( \begin{array}{ccc} \cos\theta \cos\psi & -\cos\phi \sin\psi + \sin\phi \sin\theta \cos\psi & \sin\phi \sin\psi + \cos\phi \sin\theta \cos\psi \\ \cos\theta \sin\psi & \cos\phi \cos\psi + \sin\phi \sin\theta \sin\psi & -\sin\phi \cos\psi + \cos\phi \sin\theta \sin\psi \\ -\sin\theta & \sin\phi \cos\theta & \cos\phi \cos\theta \end{array} \right)$$

Note that three parameters are required. In odd dimension, there is a real eigenvalue. For $SO_n$ this eigenvalue is $+1.$ So there is a fixed vector in some direction. It takes two parameters to specify this point on the unit sphere. The Lie group element is then a rotation around this point. So it takes a third parameter specifying the amount of rotation about that axis.

3 added 309 characters in body

Look at

I have not had time to check whether they give determinant

$$\left( \begin{array}{ccc} \cos\theta \cos\psi & -\cos\phi \sin\psi + 1.\sin\phi \sin\theta \cos\psi & \sin\phi \sin\psi + \cos\phi \sin\theta \cos\psi \\ \cos\theta \sin\psi & \cos\phi \cos\psi + \sin\phi \sin\theta \sin\psi & -\sin\phi \cos\psi + \cos\phi \sin\theta \sin\psi \\ -\sin\theta & \sin\phi \cos\theta & \cos\phi \cos\theta \end{array} \right)$$

Note that three parameters are required. In odd dimension, there is a real eigenvalue. For $SO_n$ this eigenvalue is $+1.$ So there is a fixed vector in some direction. It takes two parameters to specify this point on the unit sphere. The Lie group element is then a rotation around this point. So it takes a third parameter specifying the amount of rotation about that axis.

2 added 450 characters in body

Look at

I have not had time to check whether they give determinant +1.

Note that three parameters are required. In odd dimension, there is a real eigenvalue. For $SO_n$ this eigenvalue is $+1.$ So there is a fixed vector in some direction. It takes two parameters to specify this point on the unit sphere. The Lie group element is then a rotation around this point. So it takes a third parameter specifying the amount of rotation about that axis.

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