Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2018 / iii / Paper 102 / 1 / a

For a finite-dimensional complex Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$, the following three conditions are equivalent descriptions of a semisimple Lie algebra.

First, its solvable radical is zero. An ideal of a Lie algebra is a linear subspace $I$ satisfying $[\mathfrak{g},I]\subseteq I$. A solvable Lie algebra is one whose derived series, defined by $I^{(0)}=I$ and $I^{(r+1)}=[I^{(r)},I^{(r)}]$, eventually becomes zero. The solvable radical is the largest solvable ideal of a Lie algebra; its vanishing is equivalent to the absence of nonzero solvable ideals.

Second, the Killing formis a nondegenerate bilinear form: if $\kappa (u,v)=0$ for every $v$, then $u=0$. Here $\mathrm{ad}u(v)=[u,v]$ is the Adjoint representation, and $\mathrm{tr}$ is the trace. This equivalence is the Cartan criterion for semisimplicity.

Third, $\mathfrak{g}$ is a direct sum of Lie algebras that are nonabelian simple Lie algebras. A simple Lie algebra is nonabelian and has no ideals of a Lie algebra other than zero and itself. Thus the three equivalent criteria are