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A real Lie group is a finite-dimensional real smooth manifold with a group structure whose multiplication and inversion are smooth. Its tangent space at the identity element $e$ is the vector space $\mathfrak{g}=T_{e}G$ of velocities of smooth curves through $e$. For the general linear group ${\mathrm{GL}}_n(\mathbb{R})$ it identifies with $M_n(\mathbb{R})$. The matrix exponential and local matrix logarithm areThe exponential is globally defined, and each matrix $\exp X$ is invertible with inverse $\exp (-X)$. The logarithm here is a local map near $I$; it is not a globally defined inverse on every real invertible matrix. The differential of $\exp$ at zero is the identity, and the two power series are inverse locally.

For a general $G$, the assumed Exponential map of a Lie group with $d{\exp }_0=I$ has a smooth local inverse by the inverse function theorem, giving a local exponential chart. Define the Lie bracket from local group commutators byFor small $s,t$ the group commutator lies in that chart. More explicitly, the map $F(u,v)=\log (\exp u\exp v\exp (-u)\exp (-v))$ is smooth and has $F(u,0)=F(0,v)=0$. Its mixed second differential at $(0,0)$ is a bilinear map of $X,Y$, proving bilinearity. Swapping the two group elements inverts the commutator, and $\log (g^{-1})=-\log g$ near $e$. Thus $F(v,u)=-F(u,v)$ and $[Y,X]=-[X,Y]$. In the matrix group, expansion to the mixed term $st$ gives the familiar commutator $XY-YX$.

For $g\in G$, let $c_g(h)=gh{g}^{-1}$ and define the Adjoint representation of a Lie group by ${\mathrm{Ad}}_g=d(c_g{)}_e\in \mathrm{GL}(\mathfrak{g})$. It is smooth and satisfies ${\mathrm{Ad}}_{gh}={\mathrm{Ad}}_g{\mathrm{Ad}}_h$. Its derived representation is $\mathrm{ad}=d(\mathrm{Ad}{)}_e:\mathfrak{g}\to \mathrm{End}(\mathfrak{g})$. Naturality of the Exponential map of a Lie group under conjugation givesAt $t=0$, the derivative of the logarithm of the commutator is ${\mathrm{Ad}}_{\exp (sX)}Y-Y$: the derivative of multiplication at $(e,e)$ adds tangent vectors, and $d{\log }_e=I$. Differentiate in $s$ to concludeTo prove the Jacobi identity without assuming it in the bracket construction, first establish that the differential of a Lie group homomorphism preserves Lie brackets. For a homomorphism $f:G\to H$, the allowed exponential identity gives ${\log }_H(f({\exp }_{G}u))=d{f}_e(u)$ locally. Apply this identity to the group commutator and take the mixed derivative to obtain $d{f}_e([X,Y])=[d{f}_{e}X,d{f}_{e}Y]$. In particular $f=\mathrm{Ad}:G\to \mathrm{GL}(\mathfrak{g})$ givesApplying both sides to $Z$ yields $[[X,Y],Z]=[X,[Y,Z]]-[Y,[X,Z]]$. Rearranging with antisymmetry provesNeither injectivity of $\mathrm{ad}$ nor the existence of a global logarithm was used.

Finally let $H$ be a normal Lie subgroup of $G$, with its corresponding Lie algebra $\mathfrak{h}\subseteq \mathfrak{g}$. For each $g\in G$, conjugation restricts to $H$, so its differential preserves $\mathfrak{h}$: ${\mathrm{Ad}}_g\mathfrak{h}=\mathfrak{h}$. Differentiate along $g=\exp (tX)$ to get $[X,Y]=\mathrm{ad}(X)Y\in \mathfrak{h}$ for every $X\in \mathfrak{g}$ and $Y\in \mathfrak{h}$. Thus the Lie algebra of a normal Lie subgroup is an ideal of a Lie algebra. The assertion concerns a subgroup carrying the corresponding Lie-subgroup structure, for example any closed subgroup; no arbitrary abstract subgroup is being assigned a tangent space.

Introduce a parameter $t$ to keep track of total degree. The power series for the matrix exponential givesSet $S=X+Y$ and $C=\frac{1}{2}[X,Y]$, where the commutator is $[X,Y]=XY-YX$. Expanding a second matrix exponential givesSincethe two expressions agree through total degree two. More explicitly, applying the local matrix logarithm to the first expansion gives $\log (e^{tX}{e}^{tY})=t(X+Y)+\frac{1}{2}{t}^2[X,Y]+O(t^3)$. This proves the displayed order of the Baker--Campbell--Hausdorff formula. The Lie algebra is closed under the commutator, so its displayed exponent lies in the same Lie algebra. The expansion is a formal power series identity, or a convergent identity sufficiently near the identity matrix; this argument does not assert unrestricted global convergence.

The next two terms of the Baker--Campbell--Hausdorff formula are the two cubic commutators:Here $O(4)$ means total degree at least four in $X,Y$. If one continues by one more degree, the quartic contribution is $-\frac{1}{24}[Y,[X,[X,Y]]]$.

For the Pauli matrices, use the Pauli matrix multiplication lawPut $N=\mathbf{n}\cdot \mathbf{\tau }$. The antisymmetric term disappears when contracted with $n_a{n}_b$, so $N^2=|\mathbf{n}{|}^{2}I=I$. Consequently every even power of $N$ equals $I$, and every odd power equals $N$. Splitting the matrix exponential into even and odd terms of its power series yieldsThe Pauli matrices are Hermitian matrices, and the components of $\mathbf{n}$ are real, so $N^{†}=N$. For real $\alpha$, the resulting matrix $U$ satisfiesAlso $\mathrm{tr}N=0$ and $N^2=I$, so its two eigenvalues are $1,-1$. The eigenvalues of $U$ are therefore $e^{i\alpha },e^{-i\alpha }$, whose product is one. Thus $U$ is a unitary matrix with determinant one: it belongs to the SU(2) group.

Multiplying the two exact Pauli matrix exponentials, and using ${\tau }_1{\tau }_2=i{\tau }_3$, givesIn particular, the ${\tau }_3$ term has a minus sign. Its quadratic Taylor expansion isTaking $X=i\alpha {\tau }_1$, $Y=i\beta {\tau }_2$, the Pauli matrix commutator identity gives $[X,Y]=-2i\alpha \beta {\tau }_3$. The quadratic exponent in the Baker--Campbell--Hausdorff formula is therefore $Z=i\alpha {\tau }_1+i\beta {\tau }_2-i\alpha \beta {\tau }_3$. In $e^Z=I+Z+\frac{1}{2}{Z}^2+O(3)$, only the linear part of $Z$ contributes to $Z^2$ through degree two. The anticommutator ${\tau }_1{\tau }_2+{\tau }_2{\tau }_1=0$ gives $Z^2=-({\alpha }^2+{\beta }^2)I+O(3)$, reproducing the exact product's quadratic expansion.

The special orthogonal group in five dimensions isIts Lie algebra consists of real skew-symmetric matrices. There are $5\cdot 4/2=10$ independent entries above the diagonal, so $\dim SO(5)=10$. Equivalently, the orthogonality equations impose fifteen independent constraints on twenty-five matrix entries; the determinant condition chooses a component without changing the dimension.

Fix the fifth coordinate. The matrices $\mathrm{diag}(S,1)$, $S\in SO(4)$, form an explicit subgroup. Under this subgroup the defining vector space splits as ${\mathbb{R}}^4\oplus \mathbb{R}{\mathbf{e}}_5$, so its branching rule is $5\downarrow SO(4)=4\oplus 1$. An element of the so5 Lie algebra can be written uniquely asConjugation by $\mathrm{diag}(S,1)$ sends $B$ to $SB{S}^{-1}$ and $w$ to $Sw$. The first summand is the six-dimensional Adjoint representation of a Lie algebra of $\mathfrak{so}(4)$, and the second is its four-dimensional vector representation. Hence the SO5 to SO4 branching gives

For the left SU(2) subgroup of SO(4), identify ${\mathbb{R}}^4$ with the quaternions. Left multiplication by a unit quaternion is a real orthogonal transformation and gives an embedded SU(2) group. More generally, $q\mapsto aq{b}^{-1}$ gives the double cover $SU(2{)}_L\times SU(2{)}_R\to SO(4)$ with kernel $\{(1,1),(-1,-1)\}$. After complexifying, the vector representation is $(2,2)$ and the Adjoint representation is $(3,1)\oplus (1,3)$. Restricting to the left factor turns the right factor into a multiplicity space. ThereforeThese are decompositions into complex irreducible representations; the real $4$ is the underlying real representation of a quaternionic doublet. Combining the branching rules gives

Write a weight as $\lambda =(x,y)$. The integrality conditions for the B2 root system give $2x\in \mathbb{Z}$ and $y-x\in \mathbb{Z}$. Hence $x=m/2$, $y=m/2+n$, with $m,n\in \mathbb{Z}$. ThusThis is the B2 weight lattice, with an integer square lattice and a second square lattice shifted by $(1/2,1/2)$. The eight roots of a root system areThe short roots lie on the coordinate axes and the long roots on the diagonals. The positive roots for the given simple-root choice are $\alpha$, $\beta$, $\alpha +\beta$, $2\alpha +\beta$.

The integrality conditions determine the weight lattice of the Lie algebra, equivalently of the simply connected Spin group $\mathrm{Spin}(5)$. For the global special orthogonal group $SO(5)$, a $2\pi$ rotation in either coordinate plane is the identity, so a genuine group representation requires integer $x,y$. Thus the half-integer coset contains spin representations that do not descend to $SO(5)$. Both representations requested here have integer weights, so their diagrams are unaffected by this distinction.

The root system of the displayed $SO(4)$ subgroup is $\{\pm (1,1),\pm (1,-1)\}$. The two orthogonal pairs give its two commuting $\mathfrak{su}(2)$ factors. Choose the left factor to have root $\delta =(1,1)$; exchanging the two diagonal pairs exchanges left and right. Its coroot pairs with a weight asThis demonstrates the diagonal-root SU(2) embedding in SO(5) directly. The short-axis root $\alpha$ would instead give $2x$, and therefore a different subgroup: on the vector representation it would produce a triplet and two singlets rather than two doublets and a singlet.

For the vector representation, simultaneously rotate the first and second coordinate planes. Over $\mathbb{C}$, the two planes give opposite pairs of weights, while the fifth coordinate is fixed. Hence its weight diagram iswith every weight multiplicity equal to one. Evaluating $x+y$ gives $+1$ twice, $-1$ twice and $0$ once, exactly two SU(2) representations of dimension two and one singlet.

For the Adjoint representation, the root-space decomposition has one one-dimensional space for each of the eight roots and a two-dimensional zero-weight Cartan subalgebra. ThusThe coroot values $x+y$ have multiplicities $1,2,4,2,1$ at $-2,-1,0,1,2$. One zero-weight state joins the $\pm 2$ states to make a triplet; the $\pm 1$ states form two doublets, leaving three zero-weight singlets. This verifies the earlier branching rule and accounts for all ten dimensions.

For a Matrix Lie group $G$, the left Maurer-Cartan form identifies tangent vectors with the Lie algebra by translating them to the identity:It is a Lie algebra-valued differential form of degree one. For a fixed $h\in G$, replacing $g$ by $hg$ gives $(hg{)}^{-1}d(hg)=g^{-1}dg$, so it is a left-invariant differential form.

Differentiate $g^{-1}g=I$ to get $d(g^{-1})=-g^{-1}(dg)g^{-1}$. The exterior derivative then givesHere the exterior product of matrix-valued differential forms includes matrix multiplication; the order of the matrices matters. Hence the Maurer-Cartan equation is

Write $\rho ={\sigma }^{\alpha }{T}_{\alpha }$. Antisymmetry of the exterior product impliesComparison of the Lie algebra components yields the Maurer-Cartan equation in a Lie-algebra basis:Thus the canonical antisymmetric choice is $f^{\gamma }{}_{\alpha \beta }=-\frac{1}{2}{c}^{\gamma }{}_{\alpha \beta }$. The factor one half is required because the sum includes both ordered pairs $(\alpha ,\beta )$ and $(\beta ,\alpha )$. If only $\alpha <\beta$ is summed, its coefficient is $-c^{\gamma }{}_{\alpha \beta }$. Strictly, the equality of differential forms determines only the antisymmetric part of $f$: one may add any tensor symmetric in $\alpha ,\beta$ without changing it. This is the symmetric-part ambiguity in Maurer-Cartan coefficients.

A faithful matrix representation of the orientation-preserving real affine group isIts action on $(x,1{)}^T$ has first component $ax+b$. The group operation and inverse areDifferent transformations have different matrix entries, proving faithfulness. With the Lie algebra basisthe left Maurer-Cartan form isThe requested left-invariant differential forms therefore form the Maurer-Cartan coframe of the real affine group:For a direct invariance check, left translation by $(a_0,b_0)$ sends $(a,b)$ to $(a_{0}a,b_0+a_{0}b)$, and the pullbacks of the two displayed differential forms are unchanged. Their dual left-invariant vector fields are $a{\partial }_a$ and $a{\partial }_b$, whose bracket is $a{\partial }_b$, in agreement with $[D,T]=T$.

Over the complex numbers, every finite-dimensional representation of a solvable Lie algebra has a basis in which every representing matrix is upper triangular. The Lie theorem is often stated first as the existence of a common eigenvector in every nonzero finite-dimensional Lie algebra representation of a solvable Lie algebra. Applying that assertion successively to quotient representations gives an invariant complete flag, and hence the upper triangular form. The same proof works over any algebraically closed field of characteristic zero.

We prove the common eigenvector assertion by induction on $\dim \mathfrak{g}$, writing the action as $av$. The zero Lie algebra is immediate. If $\mathfrak{g}\ne 0$ is solvable, its derived series of a Lie algebra shows that $[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]\ne \mathfrak{g}$. Choose a codimension-one ideal of a Lie algebra $\mathfrak{a}$ containing $[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]$, and choose $x\notin \mathfrak{a}$. By induction there are $v\ne 0$ and a linear functional $\lambda :\mathfrak{a}\to \mathbb{C}$ such that $av=\lambda (a)v$ for all $a\in \mathfrak{a}$.

Let $W$ be the span of $v,xv,x^{2}v,\dots$. If $m=\dim W$, the first $m$ of these vectors form a basis, and $W$ is $x$-invariant. We claim that for each $a\in \mathfrak{a}$,For $j=0$ this is the definition of $v$. For the induction step, use $ax=xa+[a,x]$ and $[a,x]\in \mathfrak{a}$. Applying the induction hypothesis to both $a$ and $[a,x]$ proves the claim. Consequently $W$ is $\mathfrak{a}$-invariant, and every $a\in \mathfrak{a}$ acts on $W$ by an upper triangular matrix with all diagonal entries $\lambda (a)$.

Since both $x$ and $a$ preserve $W$, the matrix trace of their commutator on $W$ is zero. The claim applied to $[x,a]\in \mathfrak{a}$ givesHere characteristic zero is essential: $m\ne 0$ in the field, so $\lambda ([x,a])=0$. Now the common weight spaceis nonzero and $x$-invariant. Indeed, for $w\in E_{\lambda }$,An endomorphism of a nonzero finite-dimensional complex vector space has an eigenvector, so choose an eigenvector of $x$ in $E_{\lambda }$. It is a common eigenvector for $\mathfrak{g}=\mathfrak{a}+\mathbb{C}x$. This proves the Lie theorem.

For the printed matrices in characteristic $p$, $[x,y]=x$, and there is no common eigenvector. Index the standard basis by $e_0,\dots ,e_{p-1}$. The cyclic entry in the PDF givesThe $p$ diagonal eigenvalues of $y$ are distinct in $k$. Thus every eigenvector of $y$ is a scalar multiple of a single $e_j$. Since $p\ge 2$, $x{e}_j$ is never a scalar multiple of $e_j$, proving the assertion even when $k$ is not an algebraically closed field.

For $1\le j\le p-1$,At the cyclic boundary,Hence $[x,y]=x$. The two-dimensional Lie subalgebra $kx+ky$ has derived algebra $kx$, whose own derived algebra is zero, so it is solvable. It nevertheless has no common eigenvector, including after extending $k$ to its algebraic closure. This is a failure of Lie theorem in positive characteristic. In the proof above, the obstruction is precisely that $\dim W=p$ can vanish as a scalar in $k$.

The derived algebra of a complex solvable Lie algebra is nilpotent. First suppose $\mathfrak{g}\subseteq \mathfrak{gl}(V)$. By the Lie theorem, put every element of $\mathfrak{g}$ in upper triangular form. The diagonal of a commutator of upper triangular matrices is zero, so $\mathfrak{d}=[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]$ consists of strictly upper triangular matrices. The Lie algebra of all such matrices is a nilpotent Lie algebra: if $F_r$ consists of matrices whose entries vanish whenever $j-i<r$, thenTherefore the lower central series of a Lie algebra of $\mathfrak{d}$ reaches zero. Alternatively, every element of $\mathfrak{d}$ is a nilpotent linear map, and the Engel theorem states that a finite-dimensional Lie subalgebra consisting of nilpotent linear maps is a nilpotent Lie algebra.

For an abstract complex solvable Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$, apply the preceding result to its Adjoint representation. The Lie algebra $\mathrm{ad}\mathfrak{d}=[\mathrm{ad}\mathfrak{g},\mathrm{ad}\mathfrak{g}]$ is nilpotent. Since $\ker (\mathrm{ad}{|}_{\mathfrak{d}})=\mathfrak{d}\cap Z(\mathfrak{g})$ is central in $\mathfrak{d}$, some term of the lower central series of a Lie algebra of $\mathfrak{d}$ lies in that central ideal; the next term is zero. Thus $\mathfrak{d}$ itself is nilpotent.

Conversely, every nilpotent Lie algebra is solvable, since its derived series of a Lie algebra is contained term by term in its lower central series of a Lie algebra. If $\mathfrak{d}$ is nilpotent, it is therefore solvable, and $\mathfrak{g}/\mathfrak{d}$ is Abelian. More directly, the derived series of a Lie algebra of $\mathfrak{g}$, after its first term, is the derived series of a Lie algebra of $\mathfrak{d}$. Consequently the derived algebra nilpotence criterion is

The form attached to $V$ is $B_V(x,y)={\mathrm{tr}}_V(xy)$. More generally, for a Lie algebra representation $\rho$, the Trace form of a Lie algebra representation isThe unqualified Killing form is the special case of the Adjoint representation,The distinction matters: a Trace form of a Lie algebra representation can be degenerate even when $\mathfrak{g}$ is semisimple, for example on the trivial Lie algebra representation.

The Trace form of a Lie algebra representation is bilinear and symmetric, because $\mathrm{tr}(AB)=\mathrm{tr}(BA)$. It is an invariant bilinear form on a Lie algebra:This follows by expanding both commutators and cyclically permuting factors under the matrix trace. Equivalently,Its radical of a bilinear form is an ideal of a Lie algebra, since if $B_V(y,-)=0$, then $B_V([x,y],z)=-B_V(y,[x,z])=0$. The Killing form is also preserved by every automorphism of a Lie algebra, because the corresponding adjoint operators are conjugate. On a complex finite-dimensional Lie algebra, the Cartan criterion for semisimplicity says that the Killing form is nondegenerate exactly when the Lie algebra is semisimple. The Cartan solvability criterion says that $\mathfrak{g}$ is solvable exactly when $B(\mathfrak{g},[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}])=0$.

We next construct the sl2 subalgebra associated with a root. Use the root-space decompositionFor $u\in {\mathfrak{g}}_{\beta }$, $v\in {\mathfrak{g}}_{\gamma }$, invariance of the Killing form givesThus $B({\mathfrak{g}}_{\beta },{\mathfrak{g}}_{\gamma })=0$ unless $\beta +\gamma =0$, and $B({\mathfrak{g}}_{\beta },\mathfrak{h})=0$ for nonzero $\beta$. Nondegeneracy of $B$ on $\mathfrak{g}$ now implies that $-\alpha$ is a root and that $B$ pairs ${\mathfrak{g}}_{\alpha }$ and ${\mathfrak{g}}_{-\alpha }$ nondegenerately.

Nondegeneracy of $B{|}_{\mathfrak{h}}$ defines a unique $t_{\alpha }\in \mathfrak{h}$ byChoose $x\in {\mathfrak{g}}_{\alpha }$ and $y\in {\mathfrak{g}}_{-\alpha }$ with $B(x,y)=1$. Their Lie bracket lies in the zero root space, namely $\mathfrak{h}$, andTherefore $[x,y]=t_{\alpha }$.

The essential nonisotropic root lemma is that $\alpha (t_{\alpha })\ne 0$. Suppose instead that it vanished. Then $[t_{\alpha },x]=[t_{\alpha },y]=0$, so $⟨x,y,t_{\alpha }⟩$ would be a solvable Lie algebra with derived algebra $\mathbb{C}{t}_{\alpha }$. Apply the Lie theorem to its action on $\mathfrak{g}$ by the Adjoint representation. The commutator $\mathrm{ad}{t}_{\alpha }=[\mathrm{ad}x,\mathrm{ad}y]$ is strictly upper triangular in a suitable basis, hence nilpotent. But $t_{\alpha }\in \mathfrak{h}$, so the root-space decomposition makes $\mathrm{ad}{t}_{\alpha }$ diagonalizable. A diagonalizable nilpotent linear map is zero. Thus $t_{\alpha }$ is central in $\mathfrak{g}$. The center of a Lie algebra of a semisimple Lie algebra is zero; equivalently a central element lies in the radical of the Killing form. This forces $t_{\alpha }=0$, contradicting $\alpha \ne 0$.

Writing $c=\alpha (t_{\alpha })$, defineThe root-space decomposition and $[x,y]=t_{\alpha }$ giveThe three vectors are linearly independent because they lie in the distinct summands ${\mathfrak{g}}_{\alpha }$, $\mathfrak{h}$, and ${\mathfrak{g}}_{-\alpha }$. Their span is therefore a copy of the sl2 Lie algebra.

The weight lattice consists of the functionals integral on all coroots. With $H_{\alpha }$ the coroot above, the weight lattice iswhere the fundamental weights satisfy ${\omega }_i(H_{{\alpha }_j})={\delta }_{ij}$ for the simple roots ${\alpha }_j$. Here $P$ lies in the real span of the roots, viewed inside ${\mathfrak{h}}^{\ast }$.

The classification of finite-dimensional sl2 representations says that every finite-dimensional complex sl2 Lie algebra representation is a direct sum of irreducibles $L_m$, $m\in {\mathbb{Z}}_{\ge 0}$, on which the standard $H$ has eigenvalues $m,m-2,\dots ,-m$. Restrict any finite-dimensional Lie algebra representation of $\mathfrak{g}$ to each sl2 subalgebra associated with a root. If $v$ has weight $\lambda$, then $H_{\alpha }v=\lambda (H_{\alpha })v$, so $\lambda (H_{\alpha })$ is an integer. Thus every weight lies in $P$. The same restrictions show that the commuting simple coroots act diagonalizably, justifying the simultaneous weight-space decomposition.

For $\mathfrak{sp}(4)$, the roots are $\pm 2{\epsilon }_1$, $\pm 2{\epsilon }_2$, and $\pm {\epsilon }_1\pm {\epsilon }_2$. Work on ${\mathbb{C}}^4$ with the alternating bilinear form having matrixThe symplectic Lie algebra isUsing the matrix units $E_{ij}$, take the Cartan subalgebraDefine ${\epsilon }_i(a_1{h}_1+a_2{h}_2)=a_i$. A regular diagonal element of $\mathfrak{h}$ has centralizer precisely $\mathfrak{h}$, and every element of $\mathfrak{h}$ acts diagonalizably. Thus it is a Cartan subalgebra. The requested Cartan decomposition is the root-space decompositionChoose positive roots ${\epsilon }_1-{\epsilon }_2$, $2{\epsilon }_2$, ${\epsilon }_1+{\epsilon }_2$, $2{\epsilon }_1$. The symplectic root sl2 triple are given explicitly byFor the negative root spaces, use the corresponding $Y_{\alpha }$. These eight root vectors, together with $h_1,h_2$, form a basis: the block description above has dimension $4+3+3=10$, and the ten listed vectors are independent. Finally, the matrix unit identityverifies $[X_{\alpha },Y_{\alpha }]=H_{\alpha }$ for every row. The diagonal differences verify $[H_{\alpha },X_{\alpha }]=2X_{\alpha }$ and $[H_{\alpha },Y_{\alpha }]=-2Y_{\alpha }$. Thus each row supplies a basis of the required sl2 subalgebra associated with a root.

Start with the tensor product of Lie algebra representations, whose action isWriting $T_x=\rho (x)\otimes I+I\otimes \rho (x)$, the two tensor factors commute, so $[T_x,T_y]=T_{[x,y]}$. This verifies the Lie algebra representation identity over every field.

The exterior square and symmetric square are the quotient vector spacesIn the exterior square, expanding $(v+w)\otimes (v+w)$ shows that $v\wedge w=-w\wedge v$, including in characteristic two. Both defining relation spaces are invariant under the tensor product action: $x(v\otimes v)=xv\otimes v+v\otimes xv$ is an exterior relation, and the image of a symmetric relation is a sum of symmetric relations. Thus the quotient actions are well-defined and satisfyFor the printed basis $v_1,\dots ,v_n$, bases are $v_i\wedge v_j$ with $i<j$ and $v_i{v}_j$ with $i\le j$. Their dimensions are $n(n-1)/2$ and $n(n+1)/2$ respectively.

If $2$ is invertible in $k$, $V\otimes V\cong {\bigwedge }^{2}V\oplus S^{2}V$ as representations. Define the flip $\tau (v\otimes w)=w\otimes v$. It commutes with the Lie algebra action and satisfies ${\tau }^2=I$. Thereforeare complementary invariant linear projections. The mapsidentify $S^{2}V$ with $\mathrm{im}{P}_{+}$ and ${\bigwedge }^{2}V$ with $\mathrm{im}{P}_{-}$. Their inverses are the corresponding quotient maps restricted to these subspaces. This proves the assertion for every field of odd characteristic, and also for characteristic zero.

Over every field, $S^2(V\oplus W)\cong S^{2}V\oplus S^{2}W\oplus (V\otimes W)$. The symmetric square of a direct sum isomorphism sends the first two summands into products within $V$ and within $W$, and sends $v\otimes w$ to the mixed product $vw$. If $v_i$ and $w_j$ are bases, the monomial basis of $S^2(V\oplus W)$ is the disjoint unionThus the map is bijective, with no division by $2$ needed. The Leibniz rule for the action preserves each of these three summands and agrees with its usual Lie algebra representation action, proving equivariance.

For $\mathfrak{g}=\mathfrak{sl}(3)$, $V={\Gamma }_{0,0}$ is trivial and $W={\Gamma }_{2,1}$ has dimension $15$. HenceIt remains to find the irreducible representations in the symmetric square of the sl3 representation of highest weight (2,1). We give the formal character calculation explicitly.

Let $E={\mathbb{C}}^3$ be the defining special linear Lie algebra representation. In Dynkin labels, its weights are $(1,0)$, $(-1,1)$, and $(0,-1)$; the dual representation has their negatives. The equivariant contractionis surjective. Its kernel has dimension $18-3=15$. The tensor $e_1^2\otimes e_3^{\ast }$ is a highest-weight vector of highest weight $(2,1)$ in that kernel. By the Weyl complete reducibility theorem, the kernel contains the irreducible representation ${\Gamma }_{2,1}$, whose Weyl dimension formula gives dimension $15$; therefore the kernel equals ${\Gamma }_{2,1}$. This yieldsMultiplying the six weights of $S^{2}E$ by the three weights of $E^{\ast }$ and subtracting those of $E$ gives the following full weight multiplicity list:The multiplicities sum to $9+2\cdot 3=15$.

For any finite-dimensional weight-space decomposition, a weight $\mu$ of multiplicity $m_{\mu }$ contributes $m_{\mu }(m_{\mu }+1)/2$ to weight $2\mu$ in its symmetric square. Distinct weights $\mu ,\nu$ contribute $m_{\mu }{m}_{\nu }$ to $\mu +\nu$. Equivalently,Applying this to the displayed list gives all dominant weight multiplicities in the second column below. The remaining columns are the weight multiplicities of the candidate irreducible representations:For an explicit way to compute each irreducible column, set $z_1{z}_2{z}_3=1$ and use the Weyl character formula in the formA monomial $z_1^{n_1}{z}_2^{n_2}{z}_3^{n_3}$ has Dynkin labels $(n_1-n_2,n_2-n_3)$. Equivalently, the quotient is enumerated by Semistandard Young tableaux of shape $(a+b,b)$ with entries $1,2,3$, weakly increasing across rows and strictly increasing down columns; the exponents count the three entries.

The five irreducible columns sum to the $S^{2}W$ column. These are all its dominant weights, and all five candidate characters have no other dominant weights. Every Weyl group orbit meets the dominant chamber, and weight multiplicities are constant on Weyl group orbits. Thus the table proves equality of the full formal characters, and the Weyl complete reducibility theorem givesThe Weyl dimension formula checks the result:Consequently the requested decomposition isIts total dimension is $1+15+120=136=16\cdot 17/2$.

Over $\mathbb{R}$ or $\mathbb{C}$, a Lie algebra is a vector space with a bilinear map $[,]$ which is alternating and obeys the Jacobi identity:Bilinearity and alternation imply $[X,Y]=-[Y,X]$.

For a Matrix Lie group, identify the tangent space $\mathfrak{g}=T_{I}G$ with derivatives ${\gamma }^{\prime }(0)$ of smooth curves through $I$. Product curves show that the sum of two such derivatives is again tangent, and reparametrization supplies scalar multiples. In particular this is a real vector space, even when the matrices have complex entries. For $X,Y\in \mathfrak{g}$, choose a curve $\gamma (s)$ with ${\gamma }^{\prime }(0)=X$. Conjugating a curve with derivative $Y$ shows thatDifferentiate this curve in the finite-dimensional vector space $\mathfrak{g}$. The result isThe matrix commutator is bilinear and alternating, and expanding the six terms proves its Jacobi identity. Thus this construction gives the Lie algebra of a matrix Lie group, with the appropriate bracket, using actual group curves rather than an assumed commutator closure.