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Over an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero, every three-dimensional perfect Lie algebra is isomorphic to the sl2 Lie algebra. Indeed the trace of a commutator gives $\mathrm{tr}(\mathrm{ad}x)=0$ for all $x$, because each element is a sum of Lie brackets. If every $\mathrm{ad}x$ were a nilpotent linear map, the Engel theorem would make the Lie algebra nilpotent, contradicting its constant nonzero lower central series of a Lie algebra. Some $\mathrm{ad}x$ therefore has a nonzero eigenvalue $\lambda$. Its other eigenvalues are $0,-\lambda$, since it kills $x$ and has zero trace. They are distinct, so its eigenvectors give a basis $h,e,f$ after scaling $x$ to $h=2x/\lambda$, with $[h,e]=2e$ and $[h,f]=-2f$. The Jacobi identity puts $[e,f]$ in the zero eigenspace $kh$. Its coefficient cannot vanish, since otherwise the derived algebra would lie in $ke\oplus kf$. Rescaling $f$ gives $[e,f]=h$. Thus this basis is an sl2 triple, proving the claimed Lie algebra isomorphism.

The vector space ${\mathbb{R}}^3$ with the cross product as Lie bracket, $[x,y]=x\times y$. Bilinearity and $x\times x=0$ give an Alternating Lie bracket; the vector triple product identity proves the Jacobi identity because the three expressions $x\times (y\times z)=y(x\cdot z)-z(x\cdot y)$ cancel cyclically, using the symmetric dot product.

Its relation to the SO(3) Lie algebra is explicit. For a vector $x=(x_1,x_2,x_3)$, define the skew-symmetric matrixThen $[\hat{x},\hat{y}]=\widehat{x\times y}$: acting on $v$, the left side is $x\times (y\times v)-y\times (x\times v)=(x\times y)\times v$. Every real $3\times 3$ skew-symmetric matrix occurs uniquely, so this hat map is a Lie algebra isomorphism. With the standard basis vectors $e_1,e_2,e_3$,and their matrix commutators are $[X,Y]=Z$, $[Y,Z]=X$, $[Z,X]=Y$. With active rotation matrices acting on column vectors, $\exp (t\hat{x})$ rotates through angle $t\Vert x\Vert$ about the oriented axis $x$ when $x\ne 0$. In particular $\exp (tZ)e_1=(\cos t,\sin t,0)$, fixing the positive-angle convention used in the small rotation commutator.

The map $x\mapsto -(i/2)x\cdot \sigma$ is also a Lie algebra isomorphism to the compact real SU(2) Lie algebra, using the Pauli matrix commutator identity. These two identifications concern Lie algebras; they do not identify the corresponding Lie groups globally.

Two central extensions of a Lie algebra $0\to \mathfrak{z}\to E\to \mathfrak{g}\to 0$ and $0\to \mathfrak{z}\to E^{\prime }\to \mathfrak{g}\to 0$ are equivalent if a Lie algebra isomorphism $E\to E^{\prime }$ commutes with both maps in the short exact sequences, inducing the identity on the specified $\mathfrak{z}$ and $\mathfrak{g}$. This is finer than asking only that $E$ and $E^{\prime }$ be isomorphic as Lie algebras.

For $\mathfrak{z}=kz$, choose linear sections and identify the two vector spaces with $\mathfrak{g}\oplus kz$. A linear map compatible with both ends necessarily has the form $(x,uz)\mapsto (x,(u+t(x))z)$ for a linear functional $t$. If the two Lie algebra two-cocycles are $\alpha ,{\alpha }^{\prime }$, preservation of the Lie bracket is exactly ${\alpha }^{\prime }(x,y)=\alpha (x,y)+t([x,y])$. Hence equivalence means that their difference is a Lie algebra two-coboundary. If changes of the identifications at the ends are allowed, an automorphism of a Lie algebra at either end can identify further classes. For a two-dimensional abelian Lie algebra and a one-dimensional central line, the finer classes are parametrized by $k$, whereas the middle Lie algebras have only the zero and nonzero classes, represented by the abelian Lie algebra $k^3$ and the Heisenberg Lie algebra.

An isomorphism of Lie groups is a group isomorphism that is also a diffeomorphism. Both the homomorphism and its inverse preserve the smooth structures. Its identity differential is a Lie algebra isomorphism, but an isomorphism of Lie algebras determines a global Lie group isomorphism without extra period data only for connected simply connected groups.

First prove surjectivity. For any $A\in U(n)$, its determinant has modulus one. Choose $z\in U(1)$ with $z^n=\det A$ and define $U=z^{-1}A$. Then $U^{†}U=I$ and $\det U=z^{-n}\det A=1$, so $A=f(z,U)$.

Next, $f(z,U)=I$ is equivalent to $U=z^{-1}I$. This lies in $SU(n)$ precisely when $z^n=1$. Therefore the kernel of a group homomorphism is the central cyclic groupIts generator is $(\zeta ,{\zeta }^{-1}{I}_n)$, which has order $n$. The inverse phases in the two factors are essential: this is an explicitly embedded subgroup, not a quotient by scalar matrices in just one factor. The first isomorphism theorem now givesThis also holds as a Lie group isomorphism: the induced map is smooth and a continuous bijection from a compact quotient space to the Hausdorff unitary group, and its differential is the Lie algebra isomorphism $(it,X)\mapsto itI+X$. For $n=1$ the kernel of a group homomorphism is trivial, consistently with $SU(1)=\{1\}$.

Choose a basis $x,y$ of the two-dimensional abelian Lie algebra $\mathfrak{a}$, and lifts with the same names. Every alternating bilinear form is determined by $c=\alpha (x,y)$, and every such form is a Lie algebra two-cocycle because every Lie bracket in $\mathfrak{a}$ is zero. Thus every central extension of a Lie algebra has a basis $x,y,z$ withIf $c=0$, all Lie brackets vanish, so this is the direct sum of Lie algebras $\mathfrak{a}\oplus kz\cong k^3$. If $c\ne 0$, replace the central basis vector by $z^{\prime }=cz$. Then $[x,y]=z^{\prime }$, which is the Heisenberg Lie algebra ${\mathfrak{h}}_3(k)$. This change of basis shows that every nonzero $c$ gives the same Lie algebra isomorphism class.

These two Lie algebras cannot be isomorphic: their derived algebras have dimensions zero and one, respectively, and a Lie algebra isomorphism preserves the derived algebra. Moreover, the Heisenberg Lie algebra cannot be a direct sum of Lie algebras $kz\oplus \mathfrak{a}$, since that direct sum of Lie algebras would have zero Lie bracket. ThereforeHere “up to isomorphism” means the Lie algebra isomorphism class of the middle Lie algebra, allowing a change of the identifications at the ends of the short exact sequence. If instead equivalence of central extensions of a Lie algebra must induce the identity on both $kz$ and $\mathfrak{a}$, the parameter $c$ cannot change: the formula in part (a) has $t([x,y])=0$. That stricter notion has one class for each $c\in k$, rather than two. This distinction explains the convention required by the question.

An isomorphism of Lie algebras identifies the local multiplication laws of the identity components. In exponential coordinates the local product is governed by the Baker--Campbell--Hausdorff formula,A bracket-preserving linear isomorphism carries this law to the corresponding law in the other Lie algebra. Thus the identity components are locally isomorphic. This statement is local; the exponential coordinates need not cover the whole group.

The stronger global description uses a universal covering Lie group. The universal cover of a connected Lie group acquires a group law by lifting multiplication with a chosen identity; uniqueness of lifts supplies associativity and inversion. The covering map is a local diffeomorphism and a Lie group homomorphism, with discrete kernel. That kernel is central: conjugation of one of its elements gives a continuous map from the connected covering group into a discrete set, so it is constantly that element.

By integration of the given Lie algebra isomorphism and its inverse on simply connected covers, these covers are isomorphic. Their two compositions have identity differential and therefore are identity maps by the preceding uniqueness argument. Consequently, for some connected simply connected Lie group $\tilde{G}$,where ${\Gamma }_1,{\Gamma }_2$ are discrete central subgroups. Different quotients need not be isomorphic. The additive group $\mathbb{R}$ and the circle group $\mathbb{R}/2\pi \mathbb{Z}$ have the same one-dimensional Lie algebra but different compactness and fundamental groups. Another familiar pair is the SU(2) group and the SO(3) group, with the latter the quotient of the former by $\{I,-I\}$.

Thus isomorphic Lie algebras give isomorphic connected simply connected groups, and identify arbitrary identity components up to discrete central quotients. For disconnected groups the Lie algebra also omits the group of components and its conjugation and extension data. For example $\mathbb{R}\times F$, for any finite group $F$, always has Lie algebra $\mathbb{R}$, while its component group is $F$.

A left-invariant vector field $X$ on a Lie group satisfiesor equivalently $(L_g{)}_{\ast }X=X$ for every $g$. For $\xi \in T_{e}G$, defineThis is smooth because multiplication is smooth and its differential depends smoothly on the base points. The identity $L_g\circ L_h=L_{gh}$ gives $(d{L}_g{)}_h{X}_h^{\xi }=X_{gh}^{\xi }$, so $X^{\xi }$ is a left-invariant vector field. Conversely, left invariance forces any such field to have this form with $\xi =X_e$. Evaluation at $e$ and the construction above are inverse linear maps. HenceThe Lie bracket of vector fields is their commutator as derivations on smooth functions: $[X,Y]f=X(Yf)-Y(Xf)$. It is another vector field because the cross terms cancel in the Leibniz rule for its action on a product. The bracket is preserved by a diffeomorphism: conjugating the derivation operators by pullback of a smooth function preserves their commutator. Thereforefor left-invariant $X,Y$. These fields are consequently closed under the bracket.

Transport the bracket to the tangent space byBilinearity and antisymmetry come from the commutator. The Jacobi identity follows by expanding the three nested commutators of derivation operators: their six terms cancel in pairs. Thus $T_{e}G$ is a Lie algebra, and the displayed correspondence is a Lie algebra isomorphism onto the algebra of left-invariant vector fields.

Take the frame dual to the left-invariant coframe of the translation-dilation group. It isIndeed ${\lambda }^i(L_j)={\delta }_j^i$. These are left-invariant vector fields, either because they are dual to invariant forms or because $L_j(g)=(d{L}_g{)}_e{X}_j$. For instance, the curve $g\exp (t{X}_0)$ differentiates to $\rho {\partial }_{\rho }$, while $g\exp (t{X}_1)$ differentiates to $\rho {\partial }_{x^1}$.

The coordinate Lie brackets satisfyFor the first identity only the derivative of the coefficient $\rho$ contributes. The linear map $\boxed{X_j⟼L_j}$ is a Lie algebra isomorphism: it preserves all basis brackets, is injective by independence of the frame, and is onto the three-dimensional space of left-invariant vector fields.

The complexification of a Lie algebra $L_0$ is $L=L_0{\otimes }_{\mathbb{R}}\mathbb{C}$, with the Lie bracket extended complex-bilinearly. Equivalently write $L=L_0\oplus i{L}_0$, whereComplex conjugation is an antilinear map and a Lie algebra automorphism whose fixed subalgebra is $L_0$.

If the solvable radical of $L_0$ is nonzero, its complexification is a nonzero solvable ideal of $L$. Conversely the solvable radical $R$ of $L$ is preserved by complex conjugation, because it is the unique largest solvable ideal. Consequentlyfor $z\in R$, both $(z+\overline{z})/2$ and $(z-\overline{z})/(2i)$ belong to $R_0$. If $R\ne 0$, $R_0\ne 0$ is a solvable ideal of $L_0$. This proves $L_0$ is semisimple if and only if $L_0{\otimes }_{\mathbb{R}}\mathbb{C}$ is semisimple. Consistently, the complex Killing form is just the complex-bilinear extension of the real one; its determinant in a real basis is unchanged by extending scalars.

Take the sl2R Lie algebra ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2(\mathbb{R})$ and the special unitary Lie algebra $\mathfrak{su}(2)$. Both complexify to ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2(\mathbb{C})$. This is immediate for the former; for the latter, the real basis $ih,e-f,i(e+f)$ consists of traceless matrices that are skew-Hermitian matrices and is also a complex basis of ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2(\mathbb{C})$.

They are not isomorphic as real Lie algebras. Their Killing forms are $B(X,Y)=4\mathrm{tr}(XY)$, but on $\mathfrak{su}(2)$ this is negative definite. On ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2(\mathbb{R})$ the basis $h,e+f,e-f$ has a diagonal Gram matrix with entries $8,8,-8$, so the signature of a quadratic form is $(2,1)$. A Lie algebra isomorphism preserves the Killing form and therefore its signature.

A real split semisimple Lie algebra has a Cartan subalgebra whose Adjoint representation of a Lie algebra is simultaneously diagonalizable over $\mathbb{R}$, so its root-space decomposition is defined over $\mathbb{R}$. The example ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2(\mathbb{R})$ is split: the diagonal Cartan subalgebra $\mathbb{R}h$ has eigenvalues $0,2,-2$ and real root spaces $\mathbb{R}e,\mathbb{R}f$. The example $\mathfrak{su}(2)$ is not split. Invariance makes every $\mathrm{ad}x$ skew-adjoint for the positive definite inner product $-B$, so its eigenvalues are purely imaginary. If it were diagonalizable over $\mathbb{R}$, all these eigenvalues would be zero and $\mathrm{ad}x=0$. The center is zero, so only $x=0$ has this property; no nonzero split Cartan subalgebra exists. Thus ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2(\mathbb{R})$ is split and $\mathfrak{su}(2)$ is not.

For a Lie bracket over $\mathbb{R}$ or $\mathbb{C}$, antisymmetry of a Lie bracket means $[x,y]=-[y,x]$. In particular $[x,x]=0$ in these characteristic-zero fields. The Jacobi identity isIt expresses compatibility of the bracket with its own adjoint action. Bilinearity must hold over the chosen base field, and the bracket must take its values in the same vector space.

For the matrix commutator, bilinearity and antisymmetry follow directly from distributivity. Associativity of matrix multiplication givesadding the two cyclic permutations cancels every monomial. Thus the Jacobi identity holds in the entire matrix algebra. For a specified linear subspace, the only additional bracket condition is closure: $AB-BA$ must belong to the subspace whenever $A,B$ do. It is unnecessary to require closure under the separate products $AB$ and $BA$.

To determine the special unitary Lie algebra, let $g(t)$ be a differentiable curve in the special unitary group with $g(0)=I$ and $A=g^{\prime }(0)$. Differentiating $g(t{)}^{†}g(t)=I$ gives $A^{†}+A=0$. Differentiating $\det g(t)=1$ at the identity gives $\mathrm{tr}A=0$. Conversely a traceless skew-Hermitian matrix has $e^{tA}$ unitary and $\det e^{tA}=e^{t\mathrm{tr}A}=1$, so it really is a tangent vector. ThereforeThis is a real Lie algebra of complex matrices: multiplication by $i$ generally leaves this real subspace. Its complexification is ${\mathfrak{sl}}_n(\mathbb{C})$, not the compact algebra itself. For $A,B\in \mathfrak{su}(n)$,Thus closure holds, and the already verified commutator identities establish all the Lie algebra axioms.

The cross-product Lie algebra on ${\mathbb{R}}^3$ is bilinear, antisymmetric and closed because the cross product has those properties. Its Jacobi identity follows from the vector triple-product identity:In the cyclic sum, the coefficients cancel by symmetry of the scalar product.

For the explicit relation to the SU(2) Lie algebra, take the three Pauli matrices and defineThese matrices are traceless and Skew-Hermitian, and the three images of the standard basis form a real basis of $\mathfrak{su}(2)$. Using the Pauli matrix commutator identity,Hence $F$ is a real Lie algebra isomorphism. The factor and sign $-i/2$ are essential for preserving the unscaled cross-product bracket. At the group level there is an Adjoint double cover from SU(2) to SO(3); the isomorphism of their tangent algebras does not identify the two global groups.

The two Lie groups have the same local infinitesimal structure, but different global topology. This difference determines which Lie algebra representations integrate to representations of each group.

An element of the SU(2) group is a unitary matrix of determinant one. Orthogonality of its columns and its determinant give the unique formThus its group manifold is the unit three-sphere in ${\mathbb{C}}^2\simeq {\mathbb{R}}^4$: this is SU(2) as the three-sphere. In particular it is compact, connected and simply connected. In terms of the Pauli matrices one may also write $U=a_{0}I-i\mathbf{a}\cdot \mathbf{\sigma }$ with real coefficients satisfying $a_0^2+{\mathbf{a}}^2=1$.

Differentiate $U(t{)}^{†}U(t)=I$ and $\det U(t)=1$ at $U(0)=I$. The tangent space consists of traceless skew-Hermitian matrices:The Lie bracket of a Matrix Lie group is the matrix commutator. With $T_a=-i{\sigma }_a/2$, the Pauli matrix multiplication law givesThis derives the SU(2) Lie algebra as a three-dimensional real Lie algebra. The Hermitian physics generators $J_a={\sigma }_a/2$ instead obey $[J_a,J_b]=i{ϵ}_{abc}{J}_c$; they are $i$ times the skew-Hermitian tangent generators, so these are consistent conventions.

The SO(3) group consists of real orthogonal matrices with determinant one. Differentiating $R(t{)}^{T}R(t)=I$ at the identity givesThe determinant condition gives no additional infinitesimal constraint because a skew-symmetric matrix already has trace zero. Define $L_a\mathbf{v}={\mathbf{e}}_a\times \mathbf{v}$. The cross product identity impliesTherefore the SO(3) Lie algebra has the same structure constants and $T_a\mapsto L_a$ is a Lie algebra isomorphism.

The global relation is the Adjoint double cover from SU(2) to SO(3). For $V=\mathbf{v}\cdot \mathbf{\sigma }$, define $R(U)$ byConjugation preserves the real space of traceless Hermitian matrices and its inner product $\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{tr}(VW)=\mathbf{v}\cdot \mathbf{w}$. Hence $R(U)$ is orthogonal. Continuity and connectedness, together with $R(I)=I$, put it in $SO(3)$. Composition of conjugations makes $R$ a group homomorphism. If $R(U)=I$, then $U$ commutes with every Pauli matrix, hence is scalar; unitarity and determinant one leave precisely $U=\pm I$. The differential sends $T_a$ to $L_a$, so it is an isomorphism. More concretely,induces rotation through angle $\theta$ about $\mathbf{n}$, by the Rodrigues rotation formula. Every three-dimensional rotation has such an axis and angle, proving surjectivity. ConsequentlyThe matrices $U$ and $-U$ are antipodal points on the three-sphere, so the SO(3) group manifold is Real projective space ${\mathbb{RP}}^3$. Equivalently, the closed axis-angle ball $\Vert \theta \mathbf{n}\Vert \le \pi$ has opposite boundary points identified. The fundamental group is ${\pi }_1(SO(3))\simeq {\mathbb{Z}}_2$, whereas ${\pi }_1(SU(2))=0$. A $2\pi$ rotation lifts from $I$ to $-I$; a $4\pi$ rotation returns to $I$. Thus the covering is the universal cover and the groups are not globally isomorphic.

For representation theory, specify finite-dimensional complex continuous representations. Compactness permits an invariant Hermitian inner product, obtained by averaging against Haar measure, and therefore complete reducibility. Complexifying either real Lie algebra gives the sl2 Lie algebra. Its finite-dimensional irreducibles are indexed by $n\in {\mathbb{Z}}_{\ge 0}$, have highest weight $n$, and have dimension $n+1$. By integration of a Lie-algebra representation, since $SU(2)$ is simply connected, every such Lie algebra representation integrates uniquely. The resulting homogeneous polynomial representation of SU2 isIn the spin angular momentum notation $j=n/2$, its Hermitian $J_3$ eigenvalues are $j,j-1,\dots ,-j$. The central matrix $-I$ acts on the symmetric power by $(-1{)}^n$, so descent of an SU(2) representation to SO(3) occurs exactly when $n$ is even. HenceFor a reducible representation, every summand must satisfy the descent condition. The spin-one-half doublet is a genuine representation of the covering group but does not define a single-valued representation of $SO(3)$; the spin-one triplet does and is its vector representation. The distinction is topological, rather than a difference in their isomorphic Lie algebras.

The Dynkin diagram in part (b) is a three-node chain, hence $D_3=A_3$. By the classification of complex semisimple Lie algebras by their root systems, this gives the Isomorphism between so6 and sl4:There is also a concrete realization. On $U={\mathbb{C}}^4$, choose a nonzero alternating four-form $\mathrm{vol}$. The six-dimensional exterior square ${\Lambda }^{2}U$ carries the nondegenerate symmetric bilinear form $B$ specified byIt is symmetric because exchanging two pairs entails four transpositions, and it is nondegenerate because each basis bivector pairs nontrivially with its complementary pair. The special linear Lie algebra acts by $A(u\wedge v)=Au\wedge v+u\wedge Av$. Its action on ${\Lambda }^{4}U$ is multiplication by $\mathrm{tr}A=0$, so it preserves $B$. We obtain a nonzero Lie algebra homomorphism ${\mathfrak{sl}}_4\to \mathfrak{so}({\Lambda }^{2}U,B)$. Its kernel is an ideal of a Lie algebra, hence zero because ${\mathfrak{sl}}_4$ is a simple Lie algebra. Both sides have dimension $15$, so this homomorphism is a Lie algebra isomorphism.