Questions tagged [lie-groups]

A Lie group is a group (in the sense of abstract algebra) that is also a differentiable manifold, such that the group operations (addition and inversion) are smooth, and so we can study them with differential calculus. They are a special type of topological group.

Consider using with the (group-theory) tag.

Lie groups are groups that are also differentiable manifolds that represent the best developed theory of continuous symmetry of mathematical objects.

Examples of lie groups are:

1) The Euclidean space $\mathbb{R}^n$ under addition is a lie group.

2) The special orthogonal group of real orthogonal matrices with determinant $1$ (note that $n=3$ is the rotation group in $\mathbb{R}^3$).

3) The spin group, which is the double cover of the special orthogonal group such that $\exists$ a sequence of lie groups:

\begin{equation*} 1\to Z_2\to~\text{Spin}(n)\to SO(n)\to 1. \end{equation*}

Note that it has dimension $\frac{n(n-1)}{2}.$

7686 questions
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Example of 3-dimensional nonabelian Lie group

Could you please give an example of a Lie group diffeomorphic to $S^1\times \mathbb{R}^2$? Okay, $S^1\times \mathbb{R}^2$ suits us. What about nonabelian one?
Mikolay
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Algebra of a cartesian product of two or more copies of a Lie Group

Let $G$ be a Lie Group end let us consider the Cartesian product of $n$ copies of $G$ ($N\geq 2$): $G\times G\times \ldots \times G$. What is the Lie Algebra of this group? Is the Lie Algebra the direct sum g+g...+g (where g is the Lie algebra of…
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Commutative lie groups - how is $(R, >, 1)$ a $T^q \times R^p$

I just found out that the connected, commutative lie groups are all products of the form $T^q \times R^p$, where T is the circle and R the real numbers. Is the set of positive reals under multiplication not also a Lie group? How does this fit into…
Elle Najt
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Generalization of Euler angle decomposition for unitary operators?

it is well known that a general operator from SU(2) can be effectively represented as a composition of at most three "one-parameter" ones. For instance in the form $\exp(i\, \alpha\, \sigma_z) \exp(i\, \beta\, \sigma_x) \exp(i\, \gamma\, \sigma_z)$…
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Is a Lie group connected?

I want to know if a Lie group is connected in general situation.I also want some example of Lie group. I will appreciate your help.
gilliatt
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Map from $SL(2,\mathbb C)/SU(2)$ to $SL(2,\mathbb C)$

I am trying to write a map $s$, such that $s: SL(2,\mathbb{C})/SU(2) \to SL(2,\mathbb C)$. Using Iwasawa decomposition, I see that any element $g$ in $SL(2,\mathbb{C})$ can be written as $g = su$, where $u$ is an element of $SU(2)$ and $s$ is a…
Mary
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Connected Components of Lie Group

This is a homework to find the connected components of $GL(n),O(n),U(n)$. $GL(n),O(n)$ There is a hint about this. $GL(n),O(n)$ has two connected components $GL_{+}(n),GL_{-}(n)$ and $SO(n),O(n)-SO(n)$. I think it just divide the $det$ of…
gaoxinge
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Inverse of Cartan's lemma on closed subgroup

Does the inverse of Cartan's lemma on closed subgroup also hold? More precisely, if $G$ is a Lie group and $H$ a Lie subgroup that is also a regular submanifold of the underlying manifold of $G$, then should $H$ be closed in $G$ as a subspace?
Lao-tzu
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Are the unitary group, the special unitary group and the projective special unitary group quotiented by a U(n-1) subgroup reductive?

Are the unitary group, the special unitary group and the projective special unitary group quotiented by a U(1) subgroup reductive? For example is SU(n)/U(n-1) a reductive homogeneous space?
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Example: Lie group compact, abelian and disconnected.

I'm looking for a example of a Lie group compact, abelian and disconnected, such that exist some elements $x$, where $x^n\neq e, \forall n\in\mathbb{N}$.
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Recovering the connected component of the identity in a Lie group from its Lie connected subgroups of dimension 1

Let $G$ be a non-discrete Lie group. Can the connected component of its identity ($G_e$) be presented as the union of its Lie connected subgroups of dimension 1: $$G_e = \bigcup\{ \text{Lie connected subgroups of } G \text{ of dimension } 1 \}?$$
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Prove that the acceleration of $ghg^{-1}h^{-1}$ is $2[X, Y]$.

This problem has been driving me up the wall! Let $G$ be a matrix group and let $g(t)$ and $h(t)$ be paths in $G$ with $g(0) = I$, $g^\prime(0) = X$, $h(0) = I$, and $h^\prime(0) = Y$. Prove that the group commutator $g(t)h(t)g^{-1}(t)h^{-1}(t)$ is…
Doug
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The list of connected subgroups of $SL(2,\mathbb{R})$

So, the question is to find all connected subgroups of $SL(2,\mathbb{R})$. I understand, how to find all closed connected subgroups: they are in one-to-one correspondence with Lie subalgebras of $\mathfrak{sl}(2,\mathbb{R})$. Up to conjugation, they…
NicStr
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I do not understand the difference between SO(3,1) and Spin(3,1)

I understand the abstract theoretical notion that Spin(3,1) is a double cover of SO(3,1), but I cannot process this when it comes to my choice of representation. I am using the following representation of SO(3,1) $$ R=\exp ( \frac{1}{2}B) $$ where B…
Anon21
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H cover G, both connected lie groups, show that Z(G) discrete iff Z(H) is discrete

Hey I'm basically trying to solve exercise 7.12 of Harris & Fulton's first course in representation theory: if $H \rightarrow G$ is a covering of connected lie groups, show that Z(G) is discrete if and only if Z(H) is discrete. I was able to prove…
Manu
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