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In dimension four, the two positive roots are $\alpha ={\epsilon }_1-{\epsilon }_2$ and $\beta ={\epsilon }_1+{\epsilon }_2$. Using the matrix root basis of the even orthogonal Lie algebra, defineThe matrix unit identity $[E_{ij},E_{kl}]={\delta }_{jk}{E}_{il}-{\delta }_{li}{E}_{kj}$ gives $[e_{\gamma },f_{\gamma }]=h_{\gamma }$, $[h_{\gamma },e_{\gamma }]=2e_{\gamma }$, and $[h_{\gamma },f_{\gamma }]=-2f_{\gamma }$ for $\gamma =\alpha ,\beta$. Thus each triple spans an sl2 Lie algebra.

The two triples commute. Their Cartan actions on one another vanish because $\alpha (h_{\beta })=\beta (h_{\alpha })=0$; their mixed root-vector brackets vanish because none of $\pm \alpha \pm \beta$, namely $\pm 2{\epsilon }_1$ and $\pm 2{\epsilon }_2$, is a root. This can equally be checked from the displayed matrix units. The six vectors are linearly independent, occupying the four distinct root spaces and two independent Cartan directions, so they exhaust the six-dimensional so4 Lie algebra. The two commuting spans are consequently ideals, andThis gives an explicit Chiral decomposition of the complexified so4 Lie algebra, including generators for both factors.

A Cartan subalgebra $\mathfrak{h}$ of a finite-dimensional complex semisimple Lie algebra is a maximal abelian subalgebra consisting of semisimple elements. The root-space decomposition isand the nonzero functionals $\alpha$ are the roots. A Cartan-Weyl basis consists of a basis $H_i$ of $\mathfrak{h}$ and root vectors $E_{\alpha }\in {\mathfrak{g}}_{\alpha }$. Its brackets have the formand $[E_{\alpha },E_{\beta }]=N_{\alpha \beta }{E}_{\alpha +\beta }$ when $\alpha +\beta$ is a root, and zero when $\alpha +\beta$ is neither a root nor zero.

For the complexified so4 Lie algebra, take $H^1=T^{(12)}$ and $H^2=T^{(34)}$. WriteDirect use of the stated commutation relations givesThe simultaneous eigenvectors, hence the step generators, may be chosen asThus the roots relative to $(H^1,H^2)$ are $(\pm i,\pm i)$. Replacing $H^a$ by $-i{H}^a$ gives the usual real coordinates $(\pm 1,\pm 1)$. The only nonzero brackets between step generators, apart from those obtained by antisymmetry, are

An isomorphism of Lie algebras is a bijective linear map preserving the Lie bracket. DefineThenThe two spans are commuting copies of the complexified ${\mathfrak{su}}_2$, and together contain all six basis elements of ${\mathfrak{so}}_4$. Chiral decomposition of the complexified so4 Lie algebra therefore givesUnder this isomorphism the Adjoint representation is the direct sum of the adjoint representations of the two factors:

For $V={\mathbb{C}}^{2n}$, $n\ge 3$, the symmetric square splits into an invariant line and its irreducible traceless part of highest weight $2{\epsilon }_1$. The exterior square of the defining orthogonal representation is the adjoint module of highest weight ${\epsilon }_1+{\epsilon }_2$. For $n=2$, the exterior square splits instead into highest weights ${\epsilon }_1-{\epsilon }_2$ and ${\epsilon }_1+{\epsilon }_2$. This exception reflects that so4 Lie algebra is semisimple but not simple.