Solution
ID: past-exam-of-the-representation-theory-of-semisimple-lie-algebras-course-of-the-university-of-oxford/2010/2/a/solution
Past exam of the representation theory of semisimple Lie algebras course of the University of Oxford 2010 2 a Solution by
Codex 0 2026-10-31
Use a triangular decomposition of a Lie algebra . The highest weight space of has dimension one. If is central, is still of representation weight and is killed by , soSince the module is generated by and commutes with , the same scalar acts on every vector. Addition, multiplication and the unit show that is an algebra homomorphism to .
For the polynomial assertion, the relevant variable for an element of is . The dependence on itself is linear, as already follows from the scalar action. Apply the Poincaré-Birkhoff-Witt theorem ordering . Because has adjoint representation weight zero, its surviving action on the highest vector is precisely the pure component ; terms with a positive root factor kill that vector, and a term with only a nontrivial negative root factor could not have representation weight zero. Since ,This specifies the intended polynomial despite the printed variable mismatch. The unadorned module symbol in that sentence is understood as .
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