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The Peter-Weyl theorem makes finite-dimensional unitary representations separate elements of a compact group. Intersecting their closed kernels gives the identity subgroup. If the descending chain condition holds for closed subgroups, choose finitely many representations whose kernel intersection is already trivial: otherwise repeatedly exclude a surviving nonidentity element to obtain an infinite strict chain. Their direct sum is a faithful representation into a finite-dimensional unitary group. Compactness makes its image closed, and the closed-subgroup theorem gives the original group a compatible Lie group structure.

For a closed subgroup $H$ of a Lie group, this set is a real Lie subalgebra. Scalar closure is immediate; the Lie product formula in a Lie group and closedness of $H$ give addition. It is a closed vector subspace, also directly by continuity of the Exponential map of a Lie group. Conjugating its one-parameter subgroups by elements of $H$ preserves it. Differentiating the Adjoint representation of a Lie group along $\exp (sX)$ gives $[X,Y]\in \mathfrak{h}$ for $X,Y\in \mathfrak{h}$. After the closed-subgroup theorem establishes smoothness, $\mathfrak{h}$ is exactly the tangent space $T_{e}H$.

By part (i), finite-dimensional continuous unitary representations separate points of the compact group. More explicitly, if every representation sent some $g\ne e$ to the identity, all their matrix coefficients would take the same values at $g$ and $e$. Uniform density would force every continuous scalar function to do so, contradicting separation of points on a compact Hausdorff space. HenceEach representation kernel is a closed normal subgroup. We claim that the intersection can be reduced to finitely many kernels. Begin with $K_0=G$. If $K_j\ne \{e\}$, choose $g_j\in K_j\setminus \{e\}$ and a representation ${\theta }_{j+1}$ with ${\theta }_{j+1}(g_j)\ne I$. ThenAn indefinite continuation would violate the descending chain condition for closed subgroups. Thus after finitely many steps, $K_N=\{e\}$.

The direct sum $\rho ={\theta }_1\oplus \cdots \oplus {\theta }_N$ is consequently a finite-dimensional faithful representation, with continuous injective homomorphismCompactness of $G$ makes this a homeomorphism onto a compact, hence closed, image. The closed-subgroup theorem makes that image an embedded Lie subgroup of the finite-dimensional unitary group. Transporting its smooth structure to $G$ provesThis is the mechanism behind the assertion that compact groups with a descending chain condition are Lie groups: the chain condition turns an arbitrarily large separating family into one finite-dimensional faithful representation.

There are two necessary qualifications to the literal formulation. The whole group $G$ is itself a closed normal subgroup, so the claim about containment in the centre must concern proper closed normal subgroups. Also, the homomorphism conclusion needs a nontrivial target $H$: for example, $SU(2)\to \{1\}$ has surjective differential onto the zero Lie algebra, but its group kernel is all of $SU(2)$ and no quotient by a finite subgroup is a one-point group. We prove the precise assertions, including these exceptional cases.

Write $\mathfrak{g}=\mathrm{Lie}(G)$. The centre $\mathfrak{z}(\mathfrak{g})$ is invariant under the Adjoint representation, so irreducibility makes it either zero or all of $\mathfrak{g}$. In the latter case $\mathfrak{g}$ is Abelian. For connected $G$, the adjoint action is then trivial: the group is generated by exponentials, and ${\mathrm{Ad}}_{\exp X}=e^{\mathrm{ad}X}=I$. A nonzero trivial representation is irreducible only in dimension one. A connected compact one-dimensional Lie group is a circle, so $G\cong U(1)$.

For every other $G$, the Lie algebra of its centre is zero. The centre is a closed compact Lie subgroup; a zero-dimensional compact Lie group is finite. Let $N$ be a closed normal subgroup. The closed-subgroup theorem identifies $\mathfrak{n}=\mathrm{Lie}(N)$ as an adjoint-invariant subspace of $\mathfrak{g}$, hence $\mathfrak{n}=0$ or $\mathfrak{n}=\mathfrak{g}$. If the latter holds, $N$ contains an identity neighbourhood and is open, so connectedness forces $N=G$. If $N$ is proper, it therefore has zero Lie algebra and is finite. For any $a\in N$, the continuous map $g\mapsto ga{g}^{-1}$ takes connected $G$ into the finite set $N$, so it is constant and equal to $a$. ThusProper closed subgroups of the circle are finite as well, and of course central.

Now let $d\Phi$ be surjective. The submersion theorem makes $\Phi (G)$ contain an identity neighbourhood in $H$, so it is an open subgroup. Since $H$ is connected, $\Phi (G)=H$. Its group kernel $F$ is closed and normal. If $H$ is nontrivial, $F$ is proper and the preceding argument gives a finite central group kernel; this also holds for $G\cong U(1)$, whose proper closed subgroups are finite. The Lie-group first isomorphism theorem givesIf $H$ is trivial, the correct statement is instead $H=G/G$.

For the Spin groups, use the real Clifford algebra with $v^2=-\Vert v{\Vert }^2$. The group $\mathrm{Spin}(m)$ consists of products of an even number of unit vectors inside its invertible even part. Conjugation on the embedded ${\mathbb{R}}^m$ defines the standard double covering $\mathrm{Spin}(m)\to SO(m)$ with group kernel $\{\pm 1\}$. The Clifford relations show that a unit-vector reflection, with the usual twisted conjugation, is a hyperplane reflection; the even products give orientation-preserving transformations. The Cartan–Dieudonné theorem states that every orthogonal transformation is a product of reflections, proving surjectivity. For $m\ge 3$ this connected covering group is simply connected; $\mathrm{Spin}(2)$ is a circle.

Here is an explicit exterior-square construction of the requested six-dimensional map. Put $E={\mathbb{C}}^4$ with its standard Hermitian form and volume $e_1\wedge e_2\wedge e_3\wedge e_4$. On ${\Lambda }^{2}E$, write $e_{ij}=e_i\wedge e_j$ and define an antilinear map $J$ byIt satisfies $J^2=1$. Intrinsically, if $u\wedge v=B(u,v)\mathrm{vol}$ and the Hermitian inner product $h$ is linear in its first variable, then $B(u,Jv)=h(u,v)$. Because $SU(4)$ preserves both $B$ and $h$, it commutes with $J$. This is the real structure of the SU4 exterior square.

The fixed space $W$ has the following real orthonormal basis, with all vectors divided by $\sqrt{2}$:Thus $W$ is six-dimensional over $\mathbb{R}$, its complexification is ${\Lambda }^{2}E$, and the exterior-square action restricts to an orthogonal representation on $W$. Its determinant is one because $SU(4)$ is connected. We obtain $R:SU(4)\to SO(W)\cong SO(6)$.

To compute the group kernel, diagonalize $g\in SU(4)$ with eigenvalues $z_1,\dots ,z_4$. If $R(g)=I$, its complexified exterior-square action is the identity, hence $z_i{z}_j=1$ for every $i<j$. Comparing pairs shows that all $z_i$ are equal, and their common value has square one. A unitary matrix with that single eigenvalue is scalar, so $\ker R=\{\pm I_4\}$. Conversely, those two scalar matrices plainly act trivially on the exterior square.

The differential of $R$ is injective because its group kernel is finite. Both Lie algebras have dimension $15$, so the differential is an isomorphism. Its image is consequently open in connected $SO(6)$, hence all of $SO(6)$. ThereforeThis also realizes $SU(4)$ as $\mathrm{Spin}(6)$, since $SU(4)$ is simply connected, by uniqueness of the connected simply connected covering group.

Choose a real vector subspace $\mathfrak{m}$ complementary to $\mathfrak{h}$, so $\mathfrak{g}=\mathfrak{m}\oplus \mathfrak{h}$. The smooth maphas differential $(U,V)\mapsto U+V$ at $(0,0)$, an isomorphism. The inverse function theorem makes $F$ a diffeomorphism from a sufficiently small product neighborhood onto an open neighborhood of the identity in $G$.

There is a neighborhood of zero in $\mathfrak{m}$ in which $\exp U\in H$ implies $U=0$. Otherwise choose nonzero $U_j\in \mathfrak{m}$ tending to zero with $\exp U_j\in H$. A normalized subsequence tends to a unit vector $U\in \mathfrak{m}$. The limit directions of a closed subgroup from part (a) give $U\in \mathfrak{h}$, contradicting $\mathfrak{m}\cap \mathfrak{h}=0$. Shrink the product neighborhood so that this exclusion holds throughout its first factor.

If $F(U,V)\in H$, then $\exp V\in H$ by the definition of $\mathfrak{h}$, and hence $\exp U=F(U,V)\exp (-V)\in H$. The exclusion forces $U=0$. Conversely, every $F(0,V)=\exp V$ belongs to $H$. Thus the local product coordinates for a closed subgroup identify $H$ near the identity exactly with the smooth coordinate slice $U=0$.

Left translation by each element of $H$ gives the same description around that element, so $H$ is an embedded submanifold of $G$ in its subspace topology. The multiplication and inversion maps of $G$ restrict to smooth maps on this embedded submanifold, making $H$ a Lie group and an embedded Lie subgroup. Its tangent space at the identity is $\mathfrak{h}$, because $d{\exp }_0$ is the identity on this coordinate slice. It remains closed by hypothesis. This proves the closed-subgroup theorem, with no prior smoothness assumption on $H$.