Abelian Lie group 2026-10-14
An abelian Lie group has commutative multiplication. Its Lie algebra is an abelian Lie algebra, and its Lie exponential map is a group homomorphism from the additive Lie algebra. Conversely, an additive Lie exponential map forces the identity component of a Lie group to be abelian, but does not force all disconnected components to commute.
Additivity of the Lie exponential map 2026-10-14
The Exponential map of a Lie group is a group homomorphism from the additive Lie algebra exactly when its identity component of a Lie group is abelian. If it is additive, its image is an abelian subgroup containing an identity neighborhood by the local exponential chart; connectedness makes that image the entire identity component. Conversely, in an abelian identity component the product is a one-parameter subgroup with derivative , giving the identity by uniqueness. The disconnected Lie group shows that the full group need not be abelian.
If a Lie group has an Adjoint representation of a Lie group element with a real eigenvector of eigenvalue whose modulus differs from one, it has no bi-invariant Riemannian metric. Conjugation is a composition of left and right translations, hence would preserve the positive identity inner product. Applying it to that eigenvector gives , a contradiction. The orientation-preserving affine group of the real line supplies a connected example: conjugation by dilation of factor two multiplies the infinitesimal translation by two.
Bi-invariant differential form Created 2026-09-28 Updated 2026-10-06
A differential form on a Lie group is bi-invariant when it is invariant under both left and right translations.
Bi-invariant Riemannian metric 2026-10-05
A Riemannian metric on a Lie group is bi-invariant if both left and right translations are isometries. Its identity inner product is invariant under the Adjoint representation of a Lie group; infinitesimally,This skew-adjointness is the key additional property beyond left invariance.
Bracket connection on a Lie group 2026-10-14
Specify the displayed rule on left-invariant vector fields and extend by the Leibniz rule to an affine connection on the Lie group. In a left-invariant vector field frame , the extension is . Applying the bare bracket formula to arbitrary vector fields instead would violate the Leibniz rule unless . With , the Jacobi identity givesfor left-invariant arguments, where is the Killing form and . These identities determine the tensor fields everywhere. The endpoints have zero curvature, with respectively left- and right-invariant parallel frames, and opposite torsion tensors. The midpoint is torsion-free but need not have zero curvature.
Carnot-Carathéodory distance 2026-10-14
On a graded nilpotent Lie group whose first layer generates its Lie algebra, a horizontal curve obeys for a control in the first layer. The displayed infimum is over horizontal curves with prescribed endpoints. The distance is left invariant and homogeneous under the graded dilations. On a free nilpotent Lie group it measures the least Euclidean length of a path realizing a prescribed truncated path signature.
Cartan three-form 2026-10-14
An adjoint-invariant symmetric bilinear form on a Lie algebra makes the displayed tensor alternating. If is invariant under the full group Adjoint representation, its left-translated three-form is also right-invariant. On left-invariant fields, the exterior derivative is by the Jacobi identity. The Killing form supplies such a on every semisimple Lie group. An overall sign change in the lowered structure-constant convention negates the form but not its invariance or closedness.
Closed left-invariant 1-form Created 2026-09-28 Updated 2026-10-14
On a connected Lie group, a left-invariant differential 1-form is closed exactly when it is bi-invariant. Connectedness is essential: on every left-invariant 1-form is closed because its Lie algebra is abelian, while reflection conjugation negates every nonzero one.
Closed-subgroup theorem 2026-10-14
Every closed subgroup of a finite-dimensional Lie group is an embedded submanifold and a Lie subgroup. Closedness alone forces the compatible smooth structure; smoothness need not be assumed in advance. The proof constructs the Lie algebra of a closed subgroup from one-parameter subgroups, then uses local product coordinates for a closed subgroup.
Coadjoint representation Created 2026-10-05 Updated 2026-10-06
The coadjoint action of a Lie group on the dual space of its Lie algebra is . The inverse in this formula makes it a left group action.
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.
Compact Lie group 2026-10-14
A compact Lie group is a Lie group whose underlying manifold is compact. Averaging any positive inner product over its Haar measure supplies an invariant inner product on each finite-dimensional representation, including the Adjoint representation.
Compact real form of a complex semisimple Lie algebra Created 2026-10-05 Updated 2026-10-07
A compact real form of a complex semisimple Lie algebra is a real Lie subalgebra whose complexification of a Lie algebra is and whose Killing form is negative definite. Its simply connected Lie group is compact. The positive internal inner product used in unitary gauge theory is therefore . For the SU(2) Lie algebra is a compact real form, whereas is a different real form with indefinite Killing form.
Completeness of left-invariant vector fields 2026-10-06
Every smooth left-invariant vector field on a Lie group is a complete vector field. Translate a local integral curve of a vector field through the identity to every other point. The same positive local existence interval works at every initial point, so no maximal integral curve of a vector field can have a finite endpoint. Uniqueness then makes the curve through the identity a one-parameter subgroup.
Complex Lie group 2026-10-14
A complex Lie group is a complex manifold whose multiplication and inversion are holomorphic maps between complex manifolds. Its tangent space at the identity is a complex Lie algebra; the Adjoint representation of a Lie group and the Lie exponential map are holomorphic. Compatibility with a complex manifold structure is essential: an arbitrary even-dimensional real Lie group need not have holomorphic multiplication.
Complex special linear group in dimension two Created 2026-10-07 Updated 2026-10-14
Complex two-by-two matrices of determinant one form a complex three-dimensional Lie group, or a real six-dimensional Lie group. Their congruence action on Hermitian two-by-two matrices gives the Lorentz spinor double cover with kernel . The two Weyl spinor representations are and . Treating the group as real is essential for the second, antiholomorphic representation.