 Adjoint representation of SU(3)

The complex Adjoint representation of SU(3) is the action by conjugation on traceless $3\times 3$ matrices. With $H_1=\mathrm{diag}(1,-1,0)$ and $H_2=\mathrm{diag}(0,1,-1)$, its highest-weight vector is $E_{13}$ of Dynkin labels $(1,1)$. The six off-diagonal matrix units have weights $(2,-1),(-2,1),(-1,2),(1,-2),(1,1),(-1,-1)$, and the two-dimensional Cartan subalgebra has weight zero. In coordinates $(h_1,(h_1+2h_2)/\sqrt{3})$, the weight diagram is a regular hexagon together with a central point of weight multiplicity two. This representation describes both the gluon colour multiplet and the approximate flavour baryon octet, under different physical SU(3) symmetries.