Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2009 iii Paper 6 3 i Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Write , and let denote a matrix unit. The diagonal Cartan subalgebra consists ofFor a diagonal matrix, . Substituting into the symplectic relation shows that the following are root vectors:The zero weight space is spanned by . The symplectic equation pairs the remaining entries exactly as in this table; the displayed vectors and the are independent and span the algebra. This proves the root-space decompositionThere are roots of a root system, each with one-dimensional root space, giving .
The upper triangular root vectors select preciselyThe simple roots of this Cn root system areIndeed, the positive roots of a root system have expansionsThese expansions also identify the highest root:Normalize the coordinate inner product by . The simple coroots are for and . Solving gives the fundamental weightsIn the sum of the positive roots of a root system, the pair contributes , and the long root contributes another . Therefore the Weyl vector isThese are the Positive-root data for Cn.
For , the finite Dynkin diagram is a chain of vertices. The bonds between and for are single. The last bond is double, with its arrow pointing from the long root toward the short root . For the Extended Dynkin diagram, add at the other end, doubly bonded to , with arrow toward . The following Cn Dynkin diagrams include both ends and the low-rank cases.
Finite and extended Cn Dynkin diagrams with arrows toward the short roots and separate rank-one and rank-two cases
. Details. At , there is just the root and one finite vertex. The affine Cartan matrix is ; its two vertices have equal root length, so the double bond has no arrow.
