A Lie algebra homomorphism always defines a local group homomorphism near the identities by the exponential charts:
for sufficiently small . Preservation of the BCH multiplication law makes this a local homomorphism. The issue is extending it consistently around all paths and periods in the source.
Suppose first that is connected and simply connected. For a piecewise smooth path from to , let
be its left logarithmic velocity. Solve in the differential equation
The equation exists throughout the finite path interval: bounded smooth body velocity gives a uniform local existence interval at the identity, and left translation repeatedly continues the solution. Define the proposed map by the endpoint .
Bracket preservation makes this endpoint invariant under fixed-endpoint homotopy. To see the mechanism, for a two-parameter path write and , using the Maurer-Cartan form rather than literal multiplication for nonmatrix groups. The Maurer-Cartan equation gives
After applying , the same identity holds for and . If , the transport equation implies
Both have zero initial value because the path starts at a fixed identity. Uniqueness gives . At the fixed endpoint, , hence . The endpoint is therefore unchanged by the homotopy. Simple connectedness then makes it independent of the chosen path.
For paths to and , concatenate the first with the left translate by of the second. Its transported endpoint is , because left logarithmic velocity is unchanged by left translation. It follows that . Near the identity, choose ; transport yields . Thus is smooth near the identity and, by translation, everywhere, and its differential is . The uniqueness argument from the root solution gives
This is integration of a Lie algebra homomorphism.
For a connected source that is not simply connected, first integrate on its universal cover . The resulting map descends exactly when
Indeed two lifts of one element differ by a kernel element, so this condition is both necessary and sufficient for their images to agree. It is the period obstruction to integration of a Lie algebra homomorphism. For , identify the Lie algebras with and take . The integrated map on the cover is , which respects the source period precisely when . Therefore half-scaling is a valid Lie algebra homomorphism but does not integrate to a circle homomorphism. If both groups are written as simply connected covers modulo central subgroups, the equivalent descent condition is that the integrated cover map send into .
For disconnected , first solve this problem on , obtaining . One must then assign images to representatives of the component group. These assignments must satisfy the conjugation and multiplication relations. Explicitly, with and for , the conditions are
When these can be solved, is a smooth global homomorphism. They may prevent existence or allow several extensions with the same differential. Thus a bracket-preserving linear map gives local data; global integration requires the source's periods and, when present, its component relations to be respected.