Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2015 / iii / Paper 2 / 3 / Solution

Work over $\mathbb{C}$. Decompose $V$ as the direct sum of the generalized eigenspaces $V_{\lambda }$ of $X$. Define $X_s$ to be $\lambda I$ on $V_{\lambda }$ and set $X_n=X-X_s$. Then $X_s$ is a diagonalisable endomorphism, $X_n$ is a nilpotent endomorphism, and they commute. For uniqueness, any commuting decomposition $X=S+N$ has $S$ and $N$ commuting with $X$, hence preserving each $V_{\lambda }$. Decompose $V_{\lambda }$ further into eigenspaces of $S$. On a nonzero such space with eigenvalue $\sigma$, the operator $X=\sigma I+N$ has only the eigenvalue $\sigma$, so $\sigma =\lambda$. Since $S$ is diagonalizable, $S=\lambda I$ throughout $V_{\lambda }$. Thus $S=X_s$ and $N=X_n$. This is the Additive Jordan decomposition.

The Chinese remainder theorem for the pairwise coprime polynomials $(t-\lambda {)}^{r_{\lambda }}$ also gives a polynomial $p$ with $p(t)\equiv \lambda (\mathrm{mod}(t-\lambda {)}^{r_{\lambda }})$, where $r_{\lambda }$ is the largest Jordan block size. Consequently $X_s=p(X)$ and $X_n=X-p(X)$. This polynomial description shows that both parts preserve every $X$-invariant subspace.

On $\mathrm{Hom}(V_{\lambda },V_{\mu })$ the operator $\mathrm{ad}{X}_s$ is the scalar $\mu -\lambda$, so it is diagonalizable. The nilpotence of commutation by a nilpotent endomorphism makes $\mathrm{ad}{X}_n$ nilpotent. They commute, since $[\mathrm{ad}{X}_s,\mathrm{ad}{X}_n]=\mathrm{ad}[X_s,X_n]=0$. Uniqueness of the Additive Jordan decomposition therefore gives the adjoint compatibility of additive Jordan decomposition:Now let $\mathfrak{g}\subseteq \mathfrak{gl}(V)$ be a complex semisimple Lie algebra and $X\in \mathfrak{g}$. Since the semisimple part of $\mathrm{ad}X$ is a polynomial in $\mathrm{ad}X$, it preserves $\mathfrak{g}$. Thus $[X_s,\mathfrak{g}]\subseteq \mathfrak{g}$. By the Weyl complete reducibility theorem, the Adjoint representation of $\mathfrak{g}$ on $\mathrm{End}(V)$ has a decomposition $\mathrm{End}(V)=\mathfrak{g}\oplus M$ into invariant subspaces. Write $X_s=y+z$ with $y\in \mathfrak{g}$ and $z\in M$. For $a\in \mathfrak{g}$, the vector $[z,a]=[X_s,a]-[y,a]$ lies in $\mathfrak{g}$, and invariance of $M$ puts it in $M$ as well. Hence $[z,a]=0$.

Decompose $V={⨁}_j{U}_j$ into Irreducible Lie algebra representations. Each $U_j$ is preserved by $X_s=p(X)$ and by $y$, hence by $z$. The Schur lemma makes $z{|}_{U_j}=c_{j}I$. A semisimple Lie algebra is a perfect Lie algebra, so every representing element of $\mathfrak{g}$ has zero trace on every $U_j$. Also $\mathrm{tr}(X_s{|}_{U_j})=\mathrm{tr}(X{|}_{U_j})$, because $X_n$ is nilpotent there. It follows that $c_j\dim U_j=\mathrm{tr}(z{|}_{U_j})=0$. In characteristic zero, $c_j=0$, so $z=0$. Therefore $X_s\in \mathfrak{g}$ and $X_n=X-X_s\in \mathfrak{g}$. This proves that semisimple matrix Lie algebras are closed under additive Jordan decomposition, including representations with repeated isomorphic irreducible summands.