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Questions tagged [lie-groups]

Lie Groups are Groups that are additionally smooth manifolds such that the multiplication and the inverse maps are smooth.

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6 votes
1 answer
527 views

Which maximal closed subgroups of Lie groups are maximal subgroups?

Which maximal closed subgroups of Lie groups are maximal subgroups?
David Feldman's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
515 views

Integral subgroup theorem for Banach-Lie groups

Let $G$ be a Banach-Lie group with Lie algebra $\mathfrak g$ and $\mathfrak h$ a closed subalgebra. Using the exponential map and the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff-formula one constructs a local Lie group $...
Claudio Gorodski's user avatar
14 votes
1 answer
2k views

Cohomology of lattice subgroups

I am trying to find a reference for lower cohomology groups $H^i(G, \mathbb{Z}),$ for $i=1, 2, 3$ for lattices in higher rank (for example, $SL(n, \mathbb{Z}), Sp(2n, \mathbb{Z}),$ and possibly ...
Igor Rivin's user avatar
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22 votes
5 answers
2k views

Which norms have rich isometry groups?

Let $n \ge 2$ be some positive integer. Given a norm $p : \mathbb{R}^n \to \mathbb{R}$, one can inquire about the structure and properties of its isometry group, i.e. the group of all bijections $F:\...
Mark's user avatar
  • 4,874
2 votes
1 answer
526 views

Meaning of "Compact" in 1932 Paper by van der Waerden "Continuity Theorem for Semisimple Lie Groups".

I am putting together an exposition on Lie theory; maths research is not my day job, let alone real maths history, so apologies in advance for any ignorance shown by these questions. I am attempting ...
Selene Routley's user avatar
33 votes
3 answers
6k views

When is a finite dimensional real or complex Lie Group not a matrix group

I have a smattering of knowledge and disconnected facts about this question, so I would like to clarify the following discussion, and I also seek references and citations supporting this knowledge. ...
Selene Routley's user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
198 views

Constructing solutions to matrix equations

Let $k,n$ be integers, $u_1,\dots,u_n \in U(k)$, $d_1,\dots,d_n \in \mathbb Z$ with $\sum_{i=1}^{n} d_i =: d \neq 0$. Consider the map $w:= U(k) \to U(k)$ with $$w(v):= u_1 v^{d_1} \cdots u_n v^{d_n} ...
Andreas Thom's user avatar
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7 votes
1 answer
426 views

lowest weight representation of loop groups

I am trying to understand lowest representations of loop groups as developed in Pressley and Segal's book. Specifically I want to be able to compute the weight spaces that appear in a lowest weight ...
solbap's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
710 views

Are there explicit formulas for spherical functions on oriented real grassmannians?

Let $p$ and $q$ be integers. The group $K=SO(p) \times SO(q)$ can be naturally seen as a subgroup of $G=SO(p+q)$. The quotient space $G/K$ is identified with the space of oriented $p$-dimensional ...
Mikael de la Salle's user avatar
17 votes
2 answers
2k views

Is every Lie subgroup of GL(V) isomorphic to a (maybe another) closed subgroup of GL(V)?

I am gathering material for an exposition and I note that some texts (e.g. Ise and Takeuchi, "Lie Groups I & II", Stillwell, "Naive Lie Theory", Hall, "Lie Groups, Lie Algebras, and ...
Selene Routley's user avatar
17 votes
0 answers
1k views

What groups are Lie groups?

We know how to tell if a topological group is a Lie group: this was famously asked by Hilbert and answered gloriously by Gleason, Montgomery and Zippin in the 50s (a locally compact topological group ...
Mariano Suárez-Álvarez's user avatar
7 votes
2 answers
728 views

Euler class of S^1-orbibundle

Given a topological space $M$ with a locally free $S^1$ action on it, assume the slice representation holds,(this is often the case, e.g. M is a smooth manifold) then this will make $M$ a principal $S^...
Shisen Luo's user avatar
81 votes
26 answers
7k views

What would you want on a Lie theory cheat poster?

For some long time now I've thought about making a poster-sized "cheat sheet" with all the data about Lie groups and their representations that I occasionally need to reference. It's a moving target, ...
5 votes
3 answers
984 views

maximal tori cover compact Lie group

Let $G$ be a compact connected Lie group, $T$ be some maximal torus in $G$ (that is, inclusion-maximal connected abelian subgroup). Then the union of tori $gTg^{-1}$, $g\in G$, is the whole $G$. This ...
Fedor Petrov's user avatar
6 votes
5 answers
3k views

Lie group operation and tangent vectors

Suppose we have two differentiable paths $\alpha$ and $\beta$ thru the identity of a Lie group $G$, $\alpha(0)=\beta(0)=e$ the identity element. Denote $\alpha\beta$ the path given by $\alpha\beta(t)=\...
Son Lam Ho's user avatar
10 votes
2 answers
792 views

Is $PSL(n, Z)$ isomorphic to a subgroup of $GL(n,C)$ or even $GL(n+1,C)$?

Is $PSL(n, \mathbb Z)$ isomorphic to a subgroup of $GL(n,\mathbb C)$ or even $GL(n+1,\mathbb C)$?
John Franks's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
1k views

Complex Lie group without faithful real representations?

Does there exist a complex analytic Lie group which doesn't have faithful representations in $GL(N,\mathbb R)$, viewed as a real Lie group? There are examples of complex Lie groups which do not allow ...
mathreader's user avatar
  • 1,050
17 votes
2 answers
1k views

In a compact lie group, can two closed connected subgroups generate a non-closed subgroup?

Let $H$,$K$ be closed connected subgroups of a compact Lie group $G$. Let $L:=\langle H,K \rangle$ be the subgroup they generate, ie, the smallest subgroup of $G$ containing them both. Must $L$ be ...
Bob Yuncken's user avatar
10 votes
1 answer
1k views

Can a Lie group as an abstract group be given more than one topology making it a Lie group?

I am an optical engineer, so please forgive any ignorance my questions betoken. I am interested in whether one can tear down the manifold of a finite dimensional Lie group, leaving an abstract group, ...
Selene Routley's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
1k views

On closed totally disconnected subgroups of connected real Lie groups

So the following statement seems to be obvious but I don't see how to prove it: Q: How does one prove that a closed totally disconnected subgroup of a connected real Lie group is discrete? Note that ...
Hugo Chapdelaine's user avatar
23 votes
6 answers
5k views

cohomology of BG, G compact Lie group

It has been stated in several papers that $H^{odd}(BG,\mathbb{R})=0$ for compact Lie group $G$. However, I've still not found a proof of this. I believe that the proof is as follows: --> $G$ compact ...
Kevin Wray's user avatar
  • 1,709
0 votes
1 answer
152 views

"locally" factoring subgroups of Lie groups

I'm not really a math person, and apologize if the question here is too simple. I've ended up with the following type of question for a few Lie groups, but state it for SO(n). I start with a subgroup ...
Starting_Stats's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
3k views

weyl group representations

I am looking for some references about irreducible representations of the Weyl Group over simple Lie Groups, both classical and exceptional ones. In particular I want to know the dimensions and the ...
wky's user avatar
  • 188
5 votes
1 answer
872 views

Generator of Lie Group cohomology in degree 3

This is my first question. Take a simple, connected, compact, simply connected Lie group $ G$ (dim $G\geq 3$). The cohomology of $G$ with integer coefficients is $H^{1,2}(G,\mathbb{Z})\cong 0$, $H^{...
user14120's user avatar
  • 347
4 votes
2 answers
2k views

Fixed points of the action of an algebraic group

Hello! If a compact Lie group $K$ acts smoothly on a smooth manifold $M$, then the set $M^K$ of fixed points under this action is a smooth submanifold of $M$. This is proved for example in ...
Hanno's user avatar
  • 2,756
15 votes
3 answers
1k views

There is no lattice in PSL(2,R) which contains PSL(2,Z) properly?

How can I see that there is no lattice in $G=\mathrm{PSL}_2( \mathbb{R})$ which contains $\Gamma_1=\mathrm{PSL}_2( \mathbb{Z})$ properly, or equivalently, that $X_1 =\mathrm{PSL}_2(\mathbb{Z}) \...
Marc Palm's user avatar
  • 11.2k
10 votes
2 answers
3k views

References on Lie groups and dynamical systems

I'm interested in Lie theory and its connections to dynamical systems theory. I am starting my studies and would like references to articles on the subject.
22 votes
1 answer
2k views

Modern reference for maximal connected subgroups of compact Lie groups

What's the nicest place to see a list of the maximal connected subgroups of compact Lie groups? Is there anything on-line? I looked at Tits' Bourbaki talk on Dynkin's and others' work, but he admits ...
Allen Knutson's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
467 views

Explanation of $y = x \exp(\triangle)$ for a Lie Group

Let $M$ be a non-compact matrix Lie group and $T_e M$ its lie algebra. Consider a point $x \in M $ and $ \triangle \in T_e M$. To move from $x$ to a point $y \in M$ along $\triangle$, below group ...
sam's user avatar
  • 207
3 votes
0 answers
251 views

Orbits of semi-algebraic actions

Hello all, I recently came across the following Theorem in Gibson (Singular points of smooth mappings, 1979). Since I haven't seen this result somewhere else and this reference is not so widespread, ...
Bart's user avatar
  • 461
2 votes
1 answer
467 views

Difference between action of group element and Lie algebra element in smooth representation

Let $G$ be a real reductive Lie group, $P$ its parabolic subgroup with Levi decomposition $P=MN$, let $\mathfrak{n}$ be the nilpotent Lie algebra of $N$. Suppose given a smooth representation $(\pi,V)$...
user1832's user avatar
  • 2,709
7 votes
1 answer
360 views

Standard reference for equivalence of PU(2) action on $\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}^1$ and SO(3) action on $S^2$

The equivalence I describe below is well-known, but I'd like a simple standard reference for it. Consider $\mathbb{C}\mathbb{P}^1$, the set of one-dimensional subspaces of $\mathbb{C}^2$, which has a ...
Tracy Hall's user avatar
  • 2,210
7 votes
0 answers
509 views

Small sum of group elements acting as rank 1 matrix.

I am interested in constructing small (as possible) group $G$ with large dimensional irreducible representation $\rho,V$ such that exist three elements of $g_1,g_2,g_3\in G$ such that for some $c_1,...
Klim Efremenko's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
572 views

reference containing the list of irreducible finite dimensional representation of real general linear group

It seems that it is not easy to find a reference containing a classification and construction of finite dimensional irreducible representations of $GL_n(\mathbb{R})$. One way to look at it is via $(\...
user1832's user avatar
  • 2,709
0 votes
2 answers
641 views

Looking for general approaches to show connectedness of topological groups

Let $G$ be a topological group. One general approach to show that $G$ is connected is the following: For every subgroup $H\leq G$ (not necessarily closed) we have a projection map: $$ \pi: G\...
Hugo Chapdelaine's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
322 views

Intersections of conjugates of the icosahedral group in SO(3)

(Related question) Let $I$ be the group of orientation preserving symmetries of a regular icosahedron. This is a $60$ element subgroup of $SO(3)$, isomorphic with the alternating group $A_5$. It is ...
Mark Grant's user avatar
  • 35.9k
1 vote
1 answer
390 views

nullity of the second fundamental group of a Lie group

Can anyone tell me why it is that Lie groups seem to have their second fundamental group $\pi_2(G)$ equal to $0$, or provide me with a link to an article or a book reference? I came across this fact ...
Olivier Bégassat's user avatar
145 votes
14 answers
50k views

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 ...
Olivier Bégassat's user avatar
19 votes
2 answers
3k views

Does every irreducible representation of a compact group occur in tensor products of a faithful representation and its dual?

(Previously posted on math.SE with no answers.) Let $G$ be a compact Lie group and $V$ a faithful (complex, continuous, finite-dimensional) representation of it. Is it true that every (complex, ...
Qiaochu Yuan's user avatar
65 votes
6 answers
9k views

Origin of terms "flag", "flag manifold", "flag variety"?

These terms have become common in Lie theory and related algebraic geometry and combinatorics, as seen in many questions posted on MO, but it's unclear to me where they first came into use. Probably ...
Jim Humphreys's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
1k views

Intersections of conjugates of Lie subgroups

Let $G$ be a closed, connected Lie group, and let $H$ be a closed (and therefore Lie) subgroup. There is a natural action of $G$ on the space of left cosets $G/H$, for which the stabiliser of $aH$ is ...
Mark Grant's user avatar
  • 35.9k
5 votes
3 answers
642 views

Polynomial group Laws on $\mathbb{R}^2$

When students are first learning about groups, a classic example of a group that is not defined as a set of functions is the group whose underlying set is $\mathbb{R}\setminus-1$, and whose operation ...
Daniel Miller's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
403 views

Orbits for homogenous complex polynomials under unitary rotation of variables

Let's have two complex homogeneous polynomials of degree $k$: $f(z_1,\cdots,z_n)$ and $g(z_1,\cdots,z_n)$. We consider rotations of variables in the form of $\vec{z}' = U \vec{z}$, where $U\in SU(n)$. ...
Piotr Migdal's user avatar
  • 1,612
6 votes
0 answers
189 views

average Riemannian distance between Identiity and a random point in SO(n) or SU(n)

I can compute the even moments of the Riemannian distance $d(Id, U)$ between the identity element and a uniformly chosen point on say $SU(n)$. But the odd moments elude me. Basically one needs to ...
John Jiang's user avatar
  • 4,466
4 votes
2 answers
752 views

Does $SO(32) \sim_T E_8 \times E_8$ relate to some group theoretical fact?

It is well known the existence of a T duality between the two heterotic string theories, $SO(32) \sim_T E_8 \times E_8$. Beyond the trivial point that both groups have the same dimension (496, which ...
arivero's user avatar
  • 437
17 votes
0 answers
547 views

Does a symplectic group act on a tensor power of a spin representation?

$\DeclareMathOperator\Spin{Spin}\DeclareMathOperator\Sp{Sp}$More specifically, let $S_k$ be the spin representation of $\Spin(2k+1)$. Then is there are action of $\Sp(2r-2)$ on $\bigotimes^{2r}S_k$ ...
Bruce Westbury's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
359 views

Does Branching in the Weight Diagram affect an embedding?

All groups here are compact semisimple Lie groups. Out of laziness I will use $B_7$ to mean $Spin(15)$. Suppose that one has a group $H$ and a subgroup $G$. The embedding determines the decomposition ...
ARupinski's user avatar
  • 5,191
2 votes
1 answer
358 views

What is the group O(4)/H, where H is the center of O(4)?

What is the group $O(4)/H$? Here $O(4)$ is the group of orthogonal matrices and H is the center of $O(4)$.
Jino's user avatar
  • 699
7 votes
2 answers
734 views

What does a homogeneous space of a linear algebraic group know about the group?

Let $X=G/H$, where $G$ is a connected linear algebraic group over the field $\mathbf{C}$ of complex numbers and $H\subset G$ is an algebraic subgroup. In general, we can write the algebraic variety $X$...
Mikhail Borovoi's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
730 views

different Shimura data with common underlying group?

A pure Shimura datum is of the form $(G,X)$ with $G$ a connected reductive $\mathbb{Q}$-group, and $X$ a homogeneous space under $G(\mathbb{R})$, subject to Deligne's conditions in terms of Hodge ...
genshin's user avatar
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