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Fix the sign convention ${\iota }_{{\xi }_M}\omega =-d{\mu }^{\xi }$, where ${\xi }_M$ is the fundamental vector field and ${\mu }^{\xi }=⟨\mu ,\xi ⟩$. A Hamiltonian group action is a symplectic Lie group action together with an equivariant moment map $\mu :M\to {\mathfrak{g}}^{\ast }$ satisfying this identity for every $\xi \in \mathfrak{g}$. Equivariance means $\mu (gx)={\mathrm{Ad}}_{g^{-1}}^{\ast }\mu (x)$. Merely requiring each fundamental field to have some Hamiltonian is the weaker condition of a weakly Hamiltonian action.

For a circle group action, identify its Lie algebra with $\mathbb{R}$, and let $Y$ generate the action. Put $Z={\mu }^{-1}(t)$ and let $i:Z\hookrightarrow M$. Since $t$ is a regular value,The action is free, so $Y_x\ne 0$. The symplectic orthogonal complement of this hyperplane is exactly $\mathbb{R}{Y}_x$, which is contained in $T_{x}Z$. ThusThe free action of the compact circle group is proper, and the quotient $Q=Z/S^1$ is a smooth manifold with projection $\pi :Z\to Q$ a principal bundle. The form $i^{\ast }\omega$ is invariant and kills the orbit directions, hence is basic and descends to a unique two-form ${\omega }_Q$ satisfying ${\pi }^{\ast }{\omega }_Q=i^{\ast }\omega$. It is closed because pullback by a submersion detects differential forms. If a quotient tangent vector annihilates ${\omega }_Q$, a lift lies in the displayed kernel and hence projects to zero. Therefore ${\omega }_Q$ is nondegenerate. This proves symplectic reduction directly.

If $L\subset Q$ is a Lagrangian submanifold, its inverse image $\tilde{L}={\pi }^{-1}(L)$ is a smooth circle bundle over $L$. The restricted symplectic form is ${\pi }^{\ast }({\omega }_Q{|}_L)=0$. If $\dim M=2N$, then $\dim Q=2N-2$, $\dim L=N-1$, and $\dim \tilde{L}=N$, proving that $\tilde{L}$ is Lagrangian. This is the Lagrangian lift through circle reduction.

For scalar multiplication on ${\mathbb{C}}^{n+1}$, the generator is $Y={\sum }_j(-y_j{\partial }_{x_j}+x_j{\partial }_{y_j})$. Direct contraction givesChoose $t>0$. Its level is the sphere of radius $R=\sqrt{2t}$ and its quotient is ${\mathbb{CP}}^n$. Complex conjugation on the sphere reverses the ambient symplectic form and descends to an anti-symplectic involution of the quotient. Its fixed set is ${\mathbb{RP}}^n$: a projective point fixed by conjugation has a real representative after a phase change. For two tangent vectors to this fixed set, anti-symplecticity makes the reduced form equal to its negative, so it vanishes. The real dimension is $n$, half the quotient dimension, proving the Lagrangian fixed locus of an anti-symplectic involution property.

The lifted Lagrangian submanifold can be written explicitly asThe only redundancy in this parametrization is the displayed free involution: two nonzero real representatives on the same complex ray differ by a real sign. The quotient embeds smoothly in the sphere, and projection to $[x]\in {\mathbb{RP}}^n$ exhibits its circle bundle structure. Its Lagrangian property follows from the reduction argument, including the case $n=0$.

Use ${\iota }_{X_f}\omega =df$ and $\{f,g\}=\omega (X_f,X_g)$. For an actual infinitesimal left Lie group action, define ${\xi }_P(p)={\frac{d}{dt}|}_0\exp (t\xi )\cdot p$. Its fundamental vector fields obey $[{\xi }_P,{\eta }_P]=-[\xi ,\eta {]}_P$ with this convention.

Existence and its global obstruction. Preservation of the symplectic form gives ${\mathcal{L}}_{{\xi }_P}\omega =0$. By Cartan's magic formula, ${\iota }_{{\xi }_P}\omega$ is closed. Locally it equals $d{\mu }_{\xi }$; globally this requires its class in $H_{\mathrm{dR}}^1(P)$ to vanish. If it does for every $\xi$, choose potentials linearly in $\xi$ and defineThis gives the component Hamiltonians of a weakly Hamiltonian action. The assumption in the question does not alone guarantee a global moment map: on $T^2$ with $\omega =dx\wedge dy$, translation in $x$ preserves $\omega$, but its contraction is $dy$, whose integral around the $y$ circle is nonzero. It is not an exact one-form. Thus no global real-valued component Hamiltonian exists for that circle action. The intended construction is valid locally, or globally with this exactness condition, for example if $H_{\mathrm{dR}}^1(P)=0$.

Matching the Lie algebra. On each connected component, the moment-map equivariance obstruction is the constantIndeed, the identities $[X_f,X_g]=-X_{\{f,g\}}$ and $[{\xi }_P,{\eta }_P]=-[\xi ,\eta {]}_P$ show that its differential vanishes. The Jacobi identity for the Poisson bracket saysChanging ${\mu }_{\xi }$ by a linear constant $b(\xi )$ changes $c$ to $c-b([\xi ,\eta ])$. Consequently the necessary and sufficient infinitesimal condition is the cocycle must be a coboundary, so that the constants can be chosen withEquivalently its class in $H^2(\mathfrak{g},\mathbb{R})$ vanishes. For a connected group this infinitesimal equivariance integrates to equivariance under its coadjoint action. A disconnected group can impose additional conditions. Here “coincides” means representing the specified Lie brackets; it does not guarantee injectivity when the group action has ineffective generators.

Proof using the Killing form. A nondegenerate Killing form $B$ makes $\mathfrak{g}$ semisimple. First, it is perfect: the $B$-orthogonal complement of $[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]$ is the center by invariance, and the center is zero by nondegeneracy. For symplectic fields,by Cartan's magic formula and the antihomomorphism sign. Every commutator therefore has an exact contraction. Perfectness supplies component Hamiltonians for every generator, even when $P$ is not simply connected: this is Hamiltonian existence for a semisimple symplectic action.

It remains to eliminate the cocycle, not merely to name an existence theorem. Define a linear operator $D$ on $\mathfrak{g}$ by $B(D\xi ,\eta )=c(\xi ,\eta )$. Antisymmetry of $c$ makes $D$ skew for $B$. Combining its cocycle identity with invariance of $B$ givesChoose $Z\in \mathfrak{g}$ by $B(Z,\xi )=\mathrm{tr}(D{\mathrm{ad}}_{\xi })$, possible because $B$ is nondegenerate. Since $D$ is a derivation, $[D,{\mathrm{ad}}_{\xi }]={\mathrm{ad}}_{D\xi }$. Cyclicity of the matrix trace then givesThus $D={\mathrm{ad}}_Z$, and $c(\xi ,\eta )=B(Z,[\xi ,\eta ])$. Taking $b(\xi )=B(Z,\xi )$ removes $c$, proving the required condition. This applies to semisimple Lie groups, including $SU(n)$ for $n\ge 2$, $SO(3)$ and $SL(n,\mathbb{R})$ for $n\ge 2$. It is nondegeneracy, not positive definiteness, that matters. Groups with a nonzero central Lie algebra, such as $U(3)$, do not satisfy this Killing-form criterion, although particular actions can still have equivariant moment maps.

The isotropic oscillator. On $T^{\ast }{\mathbb{R}}^3$, putThe action $z\mapsto Uz$, $U\in U(3)$, preserves the Hermitian norm and the symplectic form, and therefore preserves $H$. A Hermitian matrix $A$ parametrizes the Lie algebra generator $\xi =-iA$. Its unitary moment map of an isotropic oscillator isSince $\{z_j,{\bar{z}}_k\}=-i{\delta }_{jk}$, direct differentiation yieldsThe matrix $-i[A,B]$ is Hermitian and corresponds precisely to $[{\xi }_A,{\xi }_B]$; no central defect remains. The full moment map can be identified, using the pairing with Hermitian matrices, with the rank-one matrix $z{z}^{†}$. The central generator $A=I$ gives ${\mu }_I=H$, whose flow is $z(t)=e^{-it}z(0)$. Globally $U(3)=(SU(3)\times U(1))/{\mathbb{Z}}_3$, so the “$U(1)$ factor” refers to this central circle, rather than a literal direct-product decomposition.

The real orthogonal subgroup acts geometrically by $(x,p)\mapsto (Rx,Rp)$, the cotangent lift of a diffeomorphism of ${\mathbb{R}}^3$. If $K$ is real antisymmetric and $A=iK$, then ${\mu }_A=-x^{T}Kp$. For $Kv=\Omega \times v$, this is $\Omega \cdot (x\times p)$, so its three components are the usual angular momentum $L_i={ϵ}_{ijk}{x}_j{p}_k$.

The remaining six independent Hermitian directions can be taken as real symmetric matrices. Their moment functions spanThe diagonal ones are the individual oscillator energies; their sum is $H$. The off-diagonal ones correlate two oscillator modes. Their flows mix positions and momenta and are not cotangent lifts of the obvious spatial rotation action: for a real symmetric $A$, $\dot{x}=Ap$ and $\dot{p}=-Ax$, rather than $\dot{x}=Kx$, $\dot{p}=Kp$. All nine quadratic functions commute with $H$, since the entire unitary group action preserves the oscillator Hamiltonian.

Use $\omega ={\sum }_{i}d{q}_i\wedge d{p}_i$, ${\iota }_{X_f}\omega =df$ andThen $X_f(g)=\{g,f\}$ and $[X_f,X_g]=-X_{\{f,g\}}$. For a left group action, let ${\xi }_P(p)={\frac{d}{dt}|}_0\exp (t\xi )\cdot p$; its fundamental fields obey $[{\xi }_P,{\eta }_P]=-[\xi ,\eta {]}_P$.

The components of a moment map satisfyThus ${\xi }_P=X_{{\mu }_{\xi }}$. A Hamiltonian moment map additionally has coadjoint equivariance,Here the right side evaluates on $\xi$ as $⟨\mu (p),{\mathrm{Ad}}_{g^{-1}}\xi ⟩$. With that convention its infinitesimal form is $\{{\mu }_{\xi },{\mu }_{\eta }\}={\mu }_{[\xi ,\eta ]}$. Some definitions reserve “moment map” for this equivariant version; choosing Hamiltonians for every generator first gives a weakly Hamiltonian action.

To derive the obstruction, compare the two antihomomorphism identities:On connected $P$, nondegeneracy of $\omega$ makesa constant alternating bilinear form. The two Jacobi identities implyReplacing ${\mu }_{\xi }$ by ${\mu }_{\xi }+b(\xi )$ changes $\kappa$ to $\kappa -b([\xi ,\eta ])$. Thus vanishing of this class in Lie algebra cohomology is the precise moment-map equivariance obstruction. In particular a connected group with $H^2(\mathfrak{g},\mathbb{R})=0$ permits constants to be chosen so that the component Poisson algebra is the Lie algebra. A locally effective action makes this realization faithful; otherwise it realizes the quotient by the infinitesimal kernel. The linear span of the components has the Lie brackets; the entire algebra of polynomial products of them is, of course, larger.

A useful sufficient condition is semisimplicity, which can be proved here without assuming the desired equivariance. Let $B$ be the nondegenerate Killing form and define $D$ by $B(D\xi ,\eta )=\kappa (\xi ,\eta )$. Invariance of $B$ and the cocycle identity giveso $D$ is a derivation. Choose $Z$ uniquely by $B(Z,\xi )=\mathrm{tr}(D\mathrm{ad}\xi )$. Since $[D,\mathrm{ad}\xi ]=\mathrm{ad}(D\xi )$, cyclicity of trace givesHence $D=\mathrm{ad}Z$ and $\kappa (\xi ,\eta )=B(Z,[\xi ,\eta ])$. The shift $b(\xi )=B(Z,\xi )$ removes the obstruction. This proves semisimple moment-map equivariance; for connected $G$ infinitesimal equivariance integrates along its one-parameter subgroups to group equivariance. It does not claim that arbitrary symplectic actions of arbitrary groups have moment maps.

For the Kepler calculation, put $k=Mm$ and work on $r=|\mathbf{r}|>0$, since the Hamiltonian is singular at the origin. The Hamilton equations areThe angular momentum therefore obeysFor the Runge-Lenz vector,The vector triple product identity gives $\mathbf{r}\times \mathbf{L}=\mathbf{r}(\mathbf{r}\cdot \mathbf{p})-r^2\mathbf{p}$. Thereforeand the terms cancel. Since $\dot{f}=\{f,H\}$, this proves

The conserved quantities consequently generate transformations preserving energy. Their brackets give the Kepler dynamical symmetry algebra. On $H<0$, define $\mathbf{A}=\mathbf{K}/\sqrt{-2H}$ as a function on that whole open region. Because $H$ Poisson commutes with both vectors, its brackets areWith ${\mathbf{J}}_{\pm }=(\mathbf{L}\pm \mathbf{A})/2$ one obtains two commuting $\mathfrak{so}(3)$ algebras:Thus the negative-energy algebra is $\mathfrak{so}(4)$. On $H>0$, using $\mathbf{A}=\mathbf{K}/\sqrt{2H}$ instead changes the last bracket to $-{ϵ}_{ijk}{L}_k$, yielding $\mathfrak{so}(3,1)$, with $\mathbf{L}$ rotations and $\mathbf{A}$ boosts. At zero energy the brackets of conserved functions on the characteristic orbit quotient give $\mathfrak{e}(3)=\mathfrak{so}(3)⋉{\mathbb{R}}^3$, with commuting $\mathbf{K}$.

There are two global qualifications. First, an energy hypersurface carries a presymplectic form: its restricted two-form has characteristic direction $X_H$. At $H=0$, the literal vector fields of $\mathbf{K}$ need only commute modulo $X_H$, since differentiating $\{K_i,K_j\}=-2H{ϵ}_{ijk}{L}_k$ still produces an $L_k{X}_H$ term. On nonzero-energy regions the energy-dependent normalization above gives an exact Hamiltonian Lie algebra; one must differentiate that normalization before restricting to a level. Second, completeness is required for a global group action. The collision-excluded Kepler phase space need not have complete hidden-symmetry flows, so the brackets establish local actions (or the appropriate simply connected covers), not an unconditional global action on every unregularized trajectory. Collision regularization supplies the familiar global bound-motion symmetry; this distinction is developed in math.berkeley.edu/~alanw/277papers00/tang.pdf . It does not change the three energy-dependent Lie algebras just derived.

A Hamiltonian group action is a smooth Lie group action of $G$ on $(M,\omega )$ by symplectomorphisms, together with an equivariant moment map $\mu :M\to {\mathfrak{g}}^{\ast }$. For $\xi \in \mathfrak{g}$, let ${\xi }_M(p)={\frac{d}{dt}|}_0\exp (t\xi )\cdot p$ be its fundamental vector field. In our sign convention the defining identities areHere the left coadjoint action means $({\mathrm{Ad}}_g^{\ast }\nu )(\xi )=\nu ({\mathrm{Ad}}_{g^{-1}}\xi )$. Each component ${\mu }^{\xi }$ is therefore a Hamiltonian function for the corresponding infinitesimal action. Equivariance is part of the definition; merely requiring each infinitesimal generator to be a Hamiltonian vector field is the weaker condition of a weakly Hamiltonian action. Reversing the defining sign of Hamiltonian vector fields reverses the moment map sign as well.