Past exam of the short options course of the University of Oxford / 2015 / 8 / a / Solution

Use coordinates $X=(ct,x,y,z{)}^T$ and Minkowski metric $\eta =\mathrm{diag}(1,-1,-1,-1)$. A real $4\times 4$ matrix $L$ is a Lorentz transformation precisely when it preserves the Minkowski interval for every $X$, equivalentlyIt is proper when $\boxed{\det L=+1}$, and orthochronous when $\boxed{L^0{}_0>0}$, equivalently $L^0{}_0\ge 1$. The latter selects the orthochronous Lorentz group, which preserves future-directed timelike four-vectors. Indeed the time-time entry of the preservation identity gives $(L^0{}_0{)}^2-{\sum }_{i=1}^3(L^i{}_0{)}^2=1$, so $|L^0{}_0|\ge 1$. Imposing both conditions gives a proper orthochronous Lorentz transformation.