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 $\frac{n(n-1)}{2}.$

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Is there a name for the function $g(z)=\frac{1-e^{-z}}{z}$?

This function comes in connection with exponentiation for matrix Lie groups, e.g. in computing the derivative of $\exp()$ away from the identity, or $\exp()$ of something in the affine group associated with a linear group. Does it have a name in…
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Lie groups: Show $L_y \circ x_t = x_t \circ L_y$ where $x_t$ is the flow of a left invariant differentiable vector field

My definition of a left invariant vector field is one for which the equation $dL_xX = X$ is satisfied, where $X$ is the differentiable vector field and $x \in G$ where G is a Lie group. Consider the two sides of the equation: $L_y \circ x_t (p) =…
user127890
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The generalized orthogonal group

We define a symmetric bilinear form $[~]_{n+k}$ on $\mathbb{R}^{n+k}$ by the formula $$ [x, y]_{n+k} = x_1y_1 + x_2y_2 + x_3y_3 + \cdots \cdots + x_ny_n - x_{n+1}y_{n+1} - x_{n+2}y_{n+2} - \cdots \cdots - x_{n+k}y_{n+k} $$ where $n, k \in…
rainman
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Lie group structure on some topological spaces

I have some basic background in Lie theory and I have some difficulties to show that some topological spaces admits a Lie group structure. More precisely, for a given Lie group $G$: 1) Why its tangent (and cotangent) bundle admits a Lie group…
amine
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How to show that $H(\mathbb{R})/ZH(\mathbb{R}) \cong SO(3, \mathbb{R})$?

Let $H(\mathbb{R})=\{a+bi+cj+dk \mid i^2=j^2=k^2=-1, ij=-ji=k, a, b, c,d \in \mathbb{R}\}$. Let $ZH(\mathbb{R})$ be the center of $H(\mathbb{R})$. How to show that $H(\mathbb{R})/ZH(\mathbb{R}) \cong SO(3, \mathbb{R})$? I think that…
LJR
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A compact connected Lie group with trivial center is a direct product of simple groups

I know that a compact connected Lie group $ G $ which is simply connected must be a direct product of compact connected simply-connected Lie groups. Is it true that a compact connected Lie group $ G $ with trivial center must be a direct product of…
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Geometry of Lie Group Around Identity

Let $G$ be a continuous compact Lie group. And let $K,\ H$ be closed subgroups. How can we take $W$ which is a small open set around $e$ and satisfies the following : If $K\subset WH$ then $KH/H$ is a point in a coset space $G/H$. Thank you in…
HK Lee
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Unique roots in a neighborhood of a Lie group's identity (Stillwell, Naive Lie Theory, Problem 7.4.1)

I'm working my way through Stillwell's Naive Lie Theory, and feel like I'm missing something simple with problem 7.4.1, which reads: Show that each $A \in N_\delta (\mathbf 1)$ has a unique nth root for $n=1,2,3,...$. Here, $N_\delta (\mathbf…
Isaac
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Does smooth section of a quotient space $G/H$ define an immersion?

Question 1: Let $G$ be a Lie group and $H
Troy Woo
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Final step in proof that embedded lie subgroups are closed

A Lie subgroup $H$ of a Lie group $G$ is defined to be an embedded submanifold of $G$ that is also a subgroup. The following exercise helps the reader in showing that every Lie subgroup is closed. Let $G$ be a Lie group and $H$ a Lie subgroup. (1)…
Sha Vuklia
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Does the equality $[u, v]=[X, Y](e)$ holds?

Let $G$ be a Lie group, $\mathfrak{g}$ its Lie algebra and $\mathfrak{h}\subseteq \mathfrak{g}$ a vector subspace. I defined two smooth vector fields $X, Y:G\rightarrow TG$ setting $X(g)=DR_g(e)u$ and $Y(g)=DR_g(e)v$ where $R_g:G\rightarrow G$ is…
PtF
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Complexification of the real lie algebra $\mathrm{sp}(m,n)$

I am unable to verify the fact that the complexification of the real lie algebra $\mathrm{sp}(m,n)$ is $\mathrm{sp}(2(m+n),\mathbf C)$, where $\mathrm{sp}(m,n)$ is the set of endomorphisms preserving the Hermitian bilinear form over the quaternions…
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What is the volume of $SO(n)$?

Per title ... There's a question about this on Quora, but unfortunately both proofs are way over my head, and the answers differ as well - working through the expression in the second answer gives the volume of $SO(3)$ as $8\pi^2$, which is…
Allure
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Unique manifold structure on a group

Is it the case that a group is compatible with at most one manifold structure. That is, any two manifolds the make the group into a topological group are homeomorphic? I know the reverse claim is false in the sense that many different Lie groups…
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Must a lie subgroup of a simply connected lie group be necessarily embedded?

Let $G$ be a simply connected lie group, must all lie subgroups of $G $ be embedded submanifolds?
Amr
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