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I have a subalgebra $B = b(n,F)$ of L.

$b(n,F)$ is the subalgebra consisting of all upper triangular matrices. Then $b(n,F)$ is clear NOT a cartan subalgebra since it is not nilpotent.

But I think that the relation $N_L(B)=B$ still holds...

Can someone please help me to show this? Or to tell me I am not correct in my assertion.

Thanks in advance!

1 Answers1

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Every Borel subalgebra $B$ of a semisimple Lie algebra $L$ is self-normalizing (the letter $B$ stands for Borel subalgebra), because it is a maximal solvable subalgebra. The proof goes as follows:
If $x \in L$ normalizes $B$, we may create $B + Fx$, which is certainly a subalgebra of $L$. Here $F$ is the field. Clearly $[B + Fx,B + Fx] ⊂ B$, so $B + Fx$ is solvable. Now B is Borel (maximal solvable) so that $x$ must be an element of $B$. Hence we obtain $N_L(B)=B$. Clearly $B$ is not nilpotent, but solvable.

In your example, where $B=\mathfrak{b}_n(\mathbb{C})$, the Lie algebra $L$ is $\mathfrak{sl}_n(\mathbb{C})$, and its Cartan subalgebra $H$ consists of the diagonal matrices of trace zero, so it is abelian.

Dietrich Burde
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  • Thank you sir. this method really makes sense. But i still have a little confusion please help me. So the idea of the approach is to notice borel is radical and then construct a subalg of B which contains the element in normalizer. then we can deduce x in normalizer will also be in B. However, why we have [B+Fx, B+Fx] is contained in B? thanks! –  Oct 11 '16 at 16:38
  • And why the this relation give us B+Fx is in B? i assume B+Fx is solvable because it is in B? thank you –  Oct 11 '16 at 16:40
  • Ok, now I think [B+Fx,B+Fx] =[B,B]+F[B,x]+F[x,B]+F[x,x] which is clearly in B...is this a correct expansion? if so i think i just solved my first question. Could you help me to understand why B+Fx is solvable? thank you very much! –  Oct 11 '16 at 16:45
  • Yes, it is correct. Also, $B$ is solvable, and if $[C,C]\subset B$ is solvable, then $C$ is solvable. – Dietrich Burde Oct 11 '16 at 18:20
  • Great I see! Thanks a lot! I really appreciate it! –  Oct 11 '16 at 19:24