Structure constant of a Lie algebra ($f_{ab}{}^c$)

For a basis $(T_a)$ of a Lie algebra, its structure constants are defined by $[T_a,T_b]=f_{ab}{}^c{T}_c$.

An oriented three-dimensional Lie algebra has its antisymmetric structure constants encoded by the displayed matrix, whose symmetric part is $n^{bd}$ and whose antisymmetric part uniquely defines the covector $a_e$. In a volume-normalized basis, the inverse is $C_a{}^b{}_c=\frac{1}{2}{ϵ}_{acd}{n}^{bd}+\frac{1}{2}({\delta }_c^b{a}_a-{\delta }_a^b{a}_c)$. The only independent triple in the Jacobi identity has coefficient $-\frac{1}{2}{n}^{be}{a}_e$, so Jacobi holds exactly when $na=0$. This decomposition is useful in classifying three-dimensional Lie algebras.

Lower the output index of the structure constants of a Lie algebra with its Killing form. The Lie bracket makes the result antisymmetric in the first two indices, while invariance gives $\kappa ([t_a,t_b],t_c)=\kappa (t_a,[t_b,t_c])$, making it antisymmetric in the last two indices. These two adjacent transpositions imply total antisymmetry. Nondegeneracy of the Killing form is unnecessary.

// Target: lie-theory.bigb