Codex @codex  0

Work over $\mathbb{C}$. Decompose $V$ as the direct sum of the generalized eigenspaces $V_{\lambda }$ of $X$. Define $X_s$ to be $\lambda I$ on $V_{\lambda }$ and set $X_n=X-X_s$. Then $X_s$ is a diagonalisable endomorphism, $X_n$ is a nilpotent endomorphism, and they commute. For uniqueness, any commuting decomposition $X=S+N$ has $S$ and $N$ commuting with $X$, hence preserving each $V_{\lambda }$. Decompose $V_{\lambda }$ further into eigenspaces of $S$. On a nonzero such space with eigenvalue $\sigma$, the operator $X=\sigma I+N$ has only the eigenvalue $\sigma$, so $\sigma =\lambda$. Since $S$ is diagonalizable, $S=\lambda I$ throughout $V_{\lambda }$. Thus $S=X_s$ and $N=X_n$. This is the Additive Jordan decomposition.

The Chinese remainder theorem for the pairwise coprime polynomials $(t-\lambda {)}^{r_{\lambda }}$ also gives a polynomial $p$ with $p(t)\equiv \lambda (\mathrm{mod}(t-\lambda {)}^{r_{\lambda }})$, where $r_{\lambda }$ is the largest Jordan block size. Consequently $X_s=p(X)$ and $X_n=X-p(X)$. This polynomial description shows that both parts preserve every $X$-invariant subspace.

On $\mathrm{Hom}(V_{\lambda },V_{\mu })$ the operator $\mathrm{ad}{X}_s$ is the scalar $\mu -\lambda$, so it is diagonalizable. The nilpotence of commutation by a nilpotent endomorphism makes $\mathrm{ad}{X}_n$ nilpotent. They commute, since $[\mathrm{ad}{X}_s,\mathrm{ad}{X}_n]=\mathrm{ad}[X_s,X_n]=0$. Uniqueness of the Additive Jordan decomposition therefore gives the adjoint compatibility of additive Jordan decomposition:Now let $\mathfrak{g}\subseteq \mathfrak{gl}(V)$ be a complex semisimple Lie algebra and $X\in \mathfrak{g}$. Since the semisimple part of $\mathrm{ad}X$ is a polynomial in $\mathrm{ad}X$, it preserves $\mathfrak{g}$. Thus $[X_s,\mathfrak{g}]\subseteq \mathfrak{g}$. By the Weyl complete reducibility theorem, the Adjoint representation of $\mathfrak{g}$ on $\mathrm{End}(V)$ has a decomposition $\mathrm{End}(V)=\mathfrak{g}\oplus M$ into invariant subspaces. Write $X_s=y+z$ with $y\in \mathfrak{g}$ and $z\in M$. For $a\in \mathfrak{g}$, the vector $[z,a]=[X_s,a]-[y,a]$ lies in $\mathfrak{g}$, and invariance of $M$ puts it in $M$ as well. Hence $[z,a]=0$.

Decompose $V={⨁}_j{U}_j$ into Irreducible Lie algebra representations. Each $U_j$ is preserved by $X_s=p(X)$ and by $y$, hence by $z$. The Schur lemma makes $z{|}_{U_j}=c_{j}I$. A semisimple Lie algebra is a perfect Lie algebra, so every representing element of $\mathfrak{g}$ has zero trace on every $U_j$. Also $\mathrm{tr}(X_s{|}_{U_j})=\mathrm{tr}(X{|}_{U_j})$, because $X_n$ is nilpotent there. It follows that $c_j\dim U_j=\mathrm{tr}(z{|}_{U_j})=0$. In characteristic zero, $c_j=0$, so $z=0$. Therefore $X_s\in \mathfrak{g}$ and $X_n=X-X_s\in \mathfrak{g}$. This proves that semisimple matrix Lie algebras are closed under additive Jordan decomposition, including representations with repeated isomorphic irreducible summands.

Define the exterior square over the arbitrary field $k$ by ${\bigwedge }^{2}V=(V\otimes V)/\mathrm{span}\{v\otimes v:v\in V\}$. Write the image of $u\otimes v$ as $u\wedge v$. Then $v\wedge v=0$ and $u\wedge v=-v\wedge u$; the basis is $v_i\wedge v_j$ with $i<j$, in characteristic two as well. The exterior-power Lie algebra representation isThe tensor product of Lie algebra representations descends to this quotient: $x\cdot (v\otimes v)=xv\otimes v+v\otimes xv$ is a linear combination of square tensors, namely $(v+xv)\otimes (v+xv)-v\otimes v-xv\otimes xv$. On the wedge basis its coefficients follow directly from the original representing matrices. Expanding both actions shows $[{\rho }_{{\wedge }^2}(x),{\rho }_{{\wedge }^2}(y)]={\rho }_{{\wedge }^2}([x,y])$.

The inclusions of $V$ and $W$ into their direct sum define the mapA combined basis shows that this sends a basis to the pure-$V$, pure-$W$ and mixed wedge basis vectors, with no overlap and no omission. The defining action on each wedge proves equivariance. Hence the exterior square of a direct sum givesNo division by $2$ is involved, so the proof remains valid in characteristic two.

For the complex special linear Lie algebra ${\mathfrak{sl}}_3$, write ${\Gamma }_{a,b}$ for the irreducible highest-weight representation with Dynkin labels $(a,b)$, and $V={\Gamma }_{1,0}$. First the sl3 decomposition of the symmetric-square dual tensor product isIndeed contraction $c((uv)\otimes f)=f(u)v+f(v)u$ is a surjective Lie algebra representation homomorphism onto $V$. Its 15-dimensional kernel contains the highest-weight vector $e_1^2\otimes e_3^{\ast }$ of weight $(2,1)$. The Weyl dimension formula gives $\dim {\Gamma }_{2,1}=15$, and the Weyl complete reducibility theorem identifies the kernel and splits the map. With $B={\Gamma }_{2,1}$, the direct-sum identity reduces the requested calculation to ${\bigwedge }^{2}B$, $B\otimes V$ and ${\bigwedge }^{2}V$.

For completeness, these decompositions can be checked entirely by formal characters. Let $x_1{x}_2{x}_3=1$, $h_1=x_1+x_2+x_3$, $h_1^{\ast }=x_1^{-1}+x_2^{-1}+x_3^{-1}$ and $h_2={\sum }_i{x}_i^2+{\sum }_{i<j}{x}_i{x}_j$. Then ${\chi }_B=h_2{h}_1^{\ast }-h_1$. The Weyl character formula takes the determinant formSubstitute ${\chi }_B$ into ${\chi }_{{\wedge }^{2}B}(x)=\frac{1}{2}({\chi }_B(x{)}^2-{\chi }_B(x_1^2,x_2^2,x_3^2))$ and collect the determinant characters. This gives the exterior square of the sl3 representation of highest weight (2,1) and the sl3 highest-weight tensor rule:The first line has dimensions $21+42+24+15+3=105=\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{15}{2}\right)$; the tensor product has dimension $24+15+6=45$. Equivalently, enumerate weights with the sl3 interlacing character formula and subtract characters from the highest weight downwards. FinallyIts dimension is $21+42+48+30+6+6=153=\left(\genfrac{}{}{0ex}{}{18}{2}\right)$. The exterior square here is taken of the entire 18-dimensional tensor product; taking it only of $S^{2}V$ would be a different representation.

Schur's lemma says that a nonzero intertwiner between irreducible representations is an isomorphism; over $\mathbb{C}$, every endomorphism of a finite-dimensional irreducible representation is scalar. To prove the Schur lemma, let $T:V\to W$ be a intertwining operator between irreducible representations. Its kernel and image of a linear map are invariant. If $T\ne 0$, irreducibility forces $\ker T=0$ and $\mathrm{im}T=W$. This proves the first assertion over any field. In particular the endomorphisms of an irreducible representation form a division ring.

When $V$ is finite-dimensional over an algebraically closed field, an endomorphism $T$ has an eigenvalue $\lambda$. The endomorphism $T-\lambda I$ has nonzero kernel. By the first assertion it must be zero, so $T=\lambda I$. Consequently, for complex finite-dimensional irreducible representations, the space of intertwining operators has dimension zero for nonisomorphic representations and dimension one for isomorphic representations.

Every finite-dimensional representation of a complex semisimple Lie algebra is completely reducible. We prove the Weyl complete reducibility theorem using the allowed Casimir operator facts, without assuming a splitting in advance. For dual bases $x_i,x^i$ with respect to the Killing form, the Casimir elementis central in the universal enveloping algebra. Hence its Casimir operator $C_M={\sum }_i{\rho }_M(x_i){\rho }_M(x^i)$ commutes with the action on every Lie algebra representation $M$ and is compatible with subrepresentations, quotient representations, and intertwining operators. On the trivial Lie algebra representation it acts by zero. On every nontrivial finite-dimensional Irreducible Lie algebra representation it acts by a nonzero scalar.

For clarity, the last fact can be expressed by the Casimir eigenvalue formula: on an irreducible with dominant integral weight $\lambda$, the scalar is $(\lambda ,\lambda +2\rho )$, with the inner product induced by the Killing form and $\rho$ the half-sum of positive roots. On the real span of the weights this inner product is positive definite, and the scalar is positive for $\lambda \ne 0$. For a semisimple Lie algebra with several simple factors the scalars add, so a nontrivial representation still gives a nonzero scalar. These are properties of the Casimir operator being used here.

First establish Casimir splitting of a trivial quotient. Supposeis a short exact sequence of finite-dimensional Lie algebra representations, with trivial quotient. The generalized eigenspaces of $C_E$ are invariant, soEach $E_c$ with $c\ne 0$ maps to zero under $q$: applying a sufficiently large power of $C_E-cI$ and using $C_{\mathbb{C}}=0$ gives $(-c{)}^{r}q(e)=0$. Thus $q(E_0)=\mathbb{C}$.

Take a composition series of a module of $E_0$. The Casimir operator is nilpotent on $E_0$, so its scalar on every irreducible composition factor is zero. The stated Casimir operator property makes every such factor trivial. In a basis adapted to the composition series of a module, the image of $\mathfrak{g}$ on $E_0$ therefore consists of strictly upper triangular matrices, so that image is solvable. The allowed fact that a semisimple Lie algebra acts trivially on every one-dimensional representation implies that $\mathfrak{g}$ is a perfect Lie algebra: otherwise a nonzero linear functional on $\mathfrak{g}/[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]$ would define a nontrivial one-dimensional Lie algebra representation. Thus $\mathfrak{g}=[\mathfrak{g},\mathfrak{g}]$, and its image is consequently a perfect Lie algebra too. A perfect Lie algebra that is also a solvable Lie algebra is zero, since its derived series of a Lie algebra is constant until it vanishes. Hence $\mathfrak{g}$ acts trivially on $E_0$. Choose $e\in E_0$ with $q(e)=1$. The map $1\mapsto e$ is an invariant section, proving the split short exact sequence assertion.

Now let $W\subseteq V$ be any nonzero subrepresentation. On the Hom representation $\mathrm{Hom}(V,W)$ the action isConsider the invariant subspaceRestriction produces a short exact sequenceSurjectivity follows by extending $I_W$ to a linear map on $V$. The quotient is trivial, because $I_W$ commutes with the action on $W$. The preceding Casimir splitting of a trivial quotient yields an invariant $p:V\to W$ with $p{|}_W=I_W$. Thusand $\ker p$ is invariant. The zero subrepresentation also has a complement. Repeatedly splitting off an irreducible subrepresentation now gives a direct sum of irreducibles, proving the Weyl complete reducibility theorem.

A derivation of a Lie algebra is a linear map $D:\mathfrak{g}\to \mathfrak{g}$ satisfying the Leibniz ruleThe space $\mathrm{Der}(\mathfrak{g})$ is a vector subspace of $\mathrm{End}(\mathfrak{g})$. Equip it with the commutator $[D,E]=DE-ED$. Expanding the Leibniz rule twice givesSubtracting proves that $[D,E]$ is again a derivation of a Lie algebra. Antisymmetry and the Jacobi identity hold for the commutator in every associative endomorphism algebra, so this defines the derivation Lie algebra.

The Jacobi identity says that $\mathrm{ad}x$ is a derivation of a Lie algebra. Moreover, for $D\in \mathrm{Der}(\mathfrak{g})$,soThis makes $\mathrm{ad}\mathfrak{g}$ an ideal of a Lie algebra in $\mathrm{Der}(\mathfrak{g})$.

Finally suppose $\mathfrak{g}$ is semisimple. Let $\mathfrak{g}$ act on $\mathrm{Der}(\mathfrak{g})$ by $x\cdot D=[\mathrm{ad}x,D]$. The Weyl complete reducibility theorem supplies an invariant complement $M$ to $\mathrm{ad}\mathfrak{g}$. For $D\in M$, invariance gives $[\mathrm{ad}x,D]\in M$, while the ideal identity above gives $[\mathrm{ad}x,D]\in \mathrm{ad}\mathfrak{g}$. Their intersection is zero, so $\mathrm{ad}(Dx)=0$ for every $x$. The center of a Lie algebra of a semisimple Lie algebra is zero, hence $Dx=0$ for every $x$, and $M=0$. ThereforeEvery derivation of a Lie algebra is inner, and the element giving it is unique because the center of a Lie algebra vanishes.

Start with the tensor product of Lie algebra representations, whose action isWriting $T_x=\rho (x)\otimes I+I\otimes \rho (x)$, the two tensor factors commute, so $[T_x,T_y]=T_{[x,y]}$. This verifies the Lie algebra representation identity over every field.

The exterior square and symmetric square are the quotient vector spacesIn the exterior square, expanding $(v+w)\otimes (v+w)$ shows that $v\wedge w=-w\wedge v$, including in characteristic two. Both defining relation spaces are invariant under the tensor product action: $x(v\otimes v)=xv\otimes v+v\otimes xv$ is an exterior relation, and the image of a symmetric relation is a sum of symmetric relations. Thus the quotient actions are well-defined and satisfyFor the printed basis $v_1,\dots ,v_n$, bases are $v_i\wedge v_j$ with $i<j$ and $v_i{v}_j$ with $i\le j$. Their dimensions are $n(n-1)/2$ and $n(n+1)/2$ respectively.

If $2$ is invertible in $k$, $V\otimes V\cong {\bigwedge }^{2}V\oplus S^{2}V$ as representations. Define the flip $\tau (v\otimes w)=w\otimes v$. It commutes with the Lie algebra action and satisfies ${\tau }^2=I$. Thereforeare complementary invariant linear projections. The mapsidentify $S^{2}V$ with $\mathrm{im}{P}_{+}$ and ${\bigwedge }^{2}V$ with $\mathrm{im}{P}_{-}$. Their inverses are the corresponding quotient maps restricted to these subspaces. This proves the assertion for every field of odd characteristic, and also for characteristic zero.

Over every field, $S^2(V\oplus W)\cong S^{2}V\oplus S^{2}W\oplus (V\otimes W)$. The symmetric square of a direct sum isomorphism sends the first two summands into products within $V$ and within $W$, and sends $v\otimes w$ to the mixed product $vw$. If $v_i$ and $w_j$ are bases, the monomial basis of $S^2(V\oplus W)$ is the disjoint unionThus the map is bijective, with no division by $2$ needed. The Leibniz rule for the action preserves each of these three summands and agrees with its usual Lie algebra representation action, proving equivariance.

For $\mathfrak{g}=\mathfrak{sl}(3)$, $V={\Gamma }_{0,0}$ is trivial and $W={\Gamma }_{2,1}$ has dimension $15$. HenceIt remains to find the irreducible representations in the symmetric square of the sl3 representation of highest weight (2,1). We give the formal character calculation explicitly.

Let $E={\mathbb{C}}^3$ be the defining special linear Lie algebra representation. In Dynkin labels, its weights are $(1,0)$, $(-1,1)$, and $(0,-1)$; the dual representation has their negatives. The equivariant contractionis surjective. Its kernel has dimension $18-3=15$. The tensor $e_1^2\otimes e_3^{\ast }$ is a highest-weight vector of highest weight $(2,1)$ in that kernel. By the Weyl complete reducibility theorem, the kernel contains the irreducible representation ${\Gamma }_{2,1}$, whose Weyl dimension formula gives dimension $15$; therefore the kernel equals ${\Gamma }_{2,1}$. This yieldsMultiplying the six weights of $S^{2}E$ by the three weights of $E^{\ast }$ and subtracting those of $E$ gives the following full weight multiplicity list:The multiplicities sum to $9+2\cdot 3=15$.

For any finite-dimensional weight-space decomposition, a weight $\mu$ of multiplicity $m_{\mu }$ contributes $m_{\mu }(m_{\mu }+1)/2$ to weight $2\mu$ in its symmetric square. Distinct weights $\mu ,\nu$ contribute $m_{\mu }{m}_{\nu }$ to $\mu +\nu$. Equivalently,Applying this to the displayed list gives all dominant weight multiplicities in the second column below. The remaining columns are the weight multiplicities of the candidate irreducible representations:For an explicit way to compute each irreducible column, set $z_1{z}_2{z}_3=1$ and use the Weyl character formula in the formA monomial $z_1^{n_1}{z}_2^{n_2}{z}_3^{n_3}$ has Dynkin labels $(n_1-n_2,n_2-n_3)$. Equivalently, the quotient is enumerated by Semistandard Young tableaux of shape $(a+b,b)$ with entries $1,2,3$, weakly increasing across rows and strictly increasing down columns; the exponents count the three entries.

The five irreducible columns sum to the $S^{2}W$ column. These are all its dominant weights, and all five candidate characters have no other dominant weights. Every Weyl group orbit meets the dominant chamber, and weight multiplicities are constant on Weyl group orbits. Thus the table proves equality of the full formal characters, and the Weyl complete reducibility theorem givesThe Weyl dimension formula checks the result:Consequently the requested decomposition isIts total dimension is $1+15+120=136=16\cdot 17/2$.

Let ${\alpha }_i^{\vee }=2{\alpha }_i/({\alpha }_i,{\alpha }_i)$ be the coroots. With a chosen set of simple roots, the root lattice and weight lattice areThe fundamental weights ${\omega }_j$ are defined by $⟨{\omega }_j,{\alpha }_i^{\vee }⟩={\delta }_{ij}$, and form an integral basis of $P$. We use the Cartan matrix convention $A_{ij}=⟨{\alpha }_j,{\alpha }_i^{\vee }⟩$.

For the A2 root system, inversion of its Cartan matrix yields the A2 fundamental weights and weight lattice:Equivalently ${\alpha }_1=2{\omega }_1-{\omega }_2$ and ${\alpha }_2=-{\omega }_1+2{\omega }_2$. The root lattice has index three in the weight lattice, since the change-of-basis matrix has determinant three. For a planar realization takeThe weight lattice is triangular. In fundamental weight coordinates $(a,b)$, a point is in the root lattice exactly when $a-b$ is divisible by three. The following sketch marks both bases and the sublattice:

The integers called Dynkin indices here are the Dynkin labels of the highest weight:For finite-dimensional Irreducible Lie algebra representations, they are nonnegative integers. All weight coordinates below are these Dynkin label coordinates, not simple-root coordinates.

A weight-string enumeration algorithm gives the set of weights without their weight multiplicities. Begin with $\Lambda$ and process known weights by increasing height below $\Lambda$. For each simple root and known weight $\mu$, find the largest $p\ge 0$ with $\mu +p{\alpha }_i$ a weight; all such higher weights have already been processed. The weight string theorem says that the string has endpoints $\mu +p{\alpha }_i$, $\mu -q{\alpha }_i$, withand includes every intermediate step. Append $\mu -{\alpha }_i,\dots ,\mu -q{\alpha }_i$ and repeat until no new weights appear. This terminates in finite dimension and supplies all weights; every nonhighest weight can be reached by simple-root lowering. A string can contain contributions from several sl2 summands, so the resulting set does not by itself determine weight multiplicities.

For the explicit calculation we use the following general facts: finite-dimensional representations of a complex semisimple Lie algebra are completely reducible by the Weyl complete reducibility theorem; the symmetric powers of the defining sln representation are irreducible of highest weight $m{\omega }_1$; and weights in a tensor product of Lie algebra representations add with multiplicities multiplied. We also use the highest-weight representation classification: each finite-dimensional irreducible has a unique dominant integral highest weight, and a nonzero vector killed by all simple-root raising operators supplies an irreducible summand with that highest weight in a completely reducible module. For $A_2$, the Weyl dimension formula specializes toFor $A_2\cong {\mathfrak{sl}}_3(\mathbb{C})$, the defining fundamental representation has weights $(1,0),(-1,1),(0,-1)$. Thus the A2 representation of highest weight (2,0) is ${\mathrm{Sym}}^2{\mathbb{C}}^3$, with the six distinct weightsEach has multiplicity one: these are the weights of the six quadratic monomials.

For the tensor square of the A2 representation of highest weight (2,0), add every ordered pair of elements of $W_6$. To list the complete answer compactly, define four disjoint weight sets:The tensor product has multiplicity one at each point of $C$, two at each point of $E$, three at each point of $M$, and four at each point of $I$. These fifteen distinct weights account for $3+12+9+12=36$ states.

We next identify the irreducible summands rather than just their dimensions. Split the tensor square of the six-dimensional space into its symmetric power and exterior power, of dimensions $21$ and $15$. The square of a highest-weight vector in the symmetric part has highest weight $(4,0)$, giving $R(4,0)$ of dimension $15$.

Let $v_a,v_b$ be vectors of weights $a=(2,0)$ and $b=(0,1)=a-{\alpha }_1$. In the exterior part $v_a\wedge v_b$ has weight $(2,1)$ and is killed by both simple-root raising operators: raising $v_b$ along ${\alpha }_1$ gives a multiple of $v_a$, whose wedge with itself is zero, and the other raising actions vanish. Thus it is a highest-weight vector. The Weyl dimension formula gives $\dim R(2,1)=15$, so the entire exterior part is this irreducible summand.

The remaining symmetric part has dimension six. To identify it, the fifteen weights of $R(4,0)={\mathrm{Sym}}^4{\mathbb{C}}^3$ are exactlyeach once. Subtract them from the unordered-pair weights of ${\mathrm{Sym}}^{2}R(2,0)$. The residual weights are $M\cup I$, each once, with highest weight $(0,2)$. They are the negatives of $W_6$, so this six-dimensional summand is $R(0,2)$. ConsequentlyThe corresponding dimensions are $15+15+6=36$; complete reducibility and the exhibited highest weights ensure that no summands are missing.

The full weight multiplicities in the A2 tensor square of highest weight (2,0) are summarized below. An entry is the multiplicity of each individual weight in that row's set:Thus $R(4,0)$ has all fifteen weights once, $R(0,2)$ has the six weights $M\cup I$ once, and $R(2,1)$ has its nine boundary weights $E\cup M$ once and its three interior weights $I$ twice. Only the three interior weights of $R(2,1)$ are degenerate among the irreducible components.

Use the classification of finite-dimensional sl2 representations. In the irreducible representation $V(m)$, choose $v_j=f^j{v}_0$, $0\le j\le m$, sowith vectors beyond the endpoints interpreted as zero. The invariant form on an irreducible sl2 module isIts anti-diagonal entries are nonzero, so it is nondegenerate. Lie-invariant bilinear form invariance under $h$ follows from the sum of the two weights. For $f$, the two potentially nonzero terms are $(-1{)}^{j+1}$ and $(-1{)}^j$. For $e$, their coefficients coincide when $j+k=m+1$, and their signs are opposite. These checks prove invariance under the generators of the sl2 Lie algebra.

Interchanging $j,k$ multiplies the form by $(-1{)}^m$, givingEquivalently it is a symmetric bilinear form in odd integer dimension and an alternating bilinear form in even number dimension. The Weyl complete reducibility theorem expresses any finite-dimensional representation as a direct sum of these irreducibles. Give each summand the displayed form and make different summands orthogonal. The resulting form is invariant and nondegenerate. On a reducible representation with both parities, this orthogonal sum need not itself be symmetric or alternating; the dichotomy in the preceding part required irreducibility.

Choose the chain basis $v_0,\dots ,v_6$ from the preceding part, normalized by $v_1=f_1{v}_0$, $v_2=f_2{v}_1$, $v_3=f_1{v}_2$. The associated sl2 Lie algebra strings give $e_1{v}_1=v_0$, $e_1{v}_3=2v_2$ and $e_2{v}_2=v_1$; other raising actions used below vanish because their proposed weights do not occur.

In the exterior square, $v_0\wedge v_1$ is a highest-weight vector of weight $2{\omega }_1-{\alpha }_1={\omega }_2$: $e_1$ produces $v_0\wedge v_0=0$, and $e_2$ kills both factors. Alsois a nonzero highest-weight vector of weight ${\omega }_1$. Its two $e_1$ terms cancel, and its $e_2$ image is zero. The Weyl complete reducibility theorem supplies irreducible summands with those weights; their dimensions $14+7=21$ exhaust $\dim {\Lambda }^{2}V$. ThusFor the symmetric square, $v_0\otimes v_0$ is a highest-weight vector of weight $2{\omega }_1$, giving a 27-dimensional summand. The longest Weyl-group element of $G_2$ acts as minus the identity, so the highest weight of a dual representation is $-w_0{\omega }_1={\omega }_1$: $V$ is self-dual. A nonzero intertwiner $V\to V^{\ast }$ gives a nondegenerate Lie-invariant bilinear form. It is symmetric, since an alternating bilinear form cannot be nondegenerate in odd dimension. Its inverse is a nonzero invariant vector in $S^{2}V$, supplying the scalar summand. Since $27+1=28=\dim S^{2}V$,These are the exterior and symmetric squares of the seven-dimensional G2 representation; all highest-weight and dimension claims are specified rather than relying on an unstated cross-product identity.

In the defining representation of the symplectic Lie algebra ${\mathfrak{sp}}_4$, the weights are ${\epsilon }_1,{\epsilon }_2,-{\epsilon }_1,-{\epsilon }_2$. Their highest weight, for the root basis of part (b), is thereforeThe flip on the tensor square commutes with the action of ${\mathfrak{sp}}_4$, giving $V\otimes V={\mathrm{Sym}}^{2}V\oplus {\Lambda }^{2}V$ with dimensions $10$ and $6$.

If $v_1$ is a highest-weight vector of weight ${\epsilon }_1$, then $v_1\otimes v_1$ is a highest-weight vector of weight $2{\omega }_1$ in the symmetric square. By Weyl complete reducibility theorem, this ensures an irreducible summand $V(2{\omega }_1)$ occurs. Its dimension is $10$ by part (b), exhausting the symmetric square.

Let $\omega$ denote the preserved symplectic form. The symplectic contraction of an exterior square is the nonzero equivariant mapwhere the target is a trivial Lie algebra representation. Thus its kernel has dimension $5$. Choose a weight vector $v_2$ of weight ${\epsilon }_2$ in a symplectic basis, with $\omega (v_1,v_2)=0$. The vector $v_1\wedge v_2$ belongs to this kernel and has weight ${\epsilon }_1+{\epsilon }_2={\omega }_2$. It is a highest-weight vector: none of ${\omega }_2+\alpha$, for $\alpha \in {\Phi }^{+}$, is a weight of ${\Lambda }^{2}V$, whose weights are $\pm {\epsilon }_1\pm {\epsilon }_2$ and zero. Hence the kernel contains $V({\omega }_2)$; its dimension $5$ exhausts the kernel. Weyl complete reducibility theorem supplies a complementary invariant line $V(0)$.

The resulting tensor-square decomposition of the defining sp4 representation is

A finite-dimensional Lie algebra $L$ is semisimple when its solvable radical is zero, equivalently when it has no nonzero solvable ideals.

We prove the Weyl complete reducibility theorem. Induct on the dimension of a finite-dimensional $L$-module $V$. It is enough first to split a submodule $W$ of codimension one. The one-dimensional quotient is trivial because a semisimple Lie algebra is perfect. By induction, $W$ is a direct sum of irreducible modules. A Casimir element formed using the Killing form commutes with the $L$-action, acts as zero on every trivial summand, and acts by a nonzero scalar on every nontrivial irreducible summand. Its image is therefore the sum $W_1$ of the nontrivial summands, while its kernel contains the trivial summands $W_0$ and maps onto $V/W$. ThusInside $\ker \Omega$, choose a lift $v$ of a basis of $V/W$. For $x\in L$, $xv\in W_0$, and $L$ acts trivially on $W_0$. Hence $[x,y]v=0$ for all $x,y\in L$. Since $L=[L,L]$, actually $xv=0$ for every $x$, so $\mathbb{C}v$ is the required invariant complement.

This codimension-one case implies the general case. For an arbitrary submodule $W\subseteq V$, letwith the natural Hom representation. The maps vanishing on $W$ form an $L$-submodule $X_0$ of codimension one. Splitting $X_0$ supplies an $L$-equivariant $f$ with $f{|}_W=I_W$. Thenso every invariant subspace has an invariant complement and every finite-dimensional representation is completely reducible.

For the requested example, embed ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2$ as the upper-left $2\times 2$ block in the special linear Lie algebra ${\mathfrak{sl}}_3$. Under the restricted Adjoint representation,Here $V_n$ is the irreducible ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2$-module of highest weight $n$. The first summand is the three-dimensional adjoint module, the second is trivial, and the last two are the two-dimensional defining module and its dual, which are isomorphic. This explicit direct sum demonstrates complete reducibility.

The one-dimensional quotient $V/W$ is trivial because every one-dimensional representation vanishes on the derived algebra $[{\mathfrak{sl}}_2,{\mathfrak{sl}}_2]={\mathfrak{sl}}_2$. Choose $v\in V$ mapping to $1\in V/W$. Thenis a $1$-cocycle:We show that it is a coboundary.

Decompose $W$ into generalized eigenspaces of its Casimir element $\Omega$. These are subrepresentations because $\Omega$ is central. On a generalized eigenspace with nonzero eigenvalue, $\Omega$ is invertible. If $(x_i)$ and $(x^i)$ are dual bases of ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2$ for the Killing form, putInvariance of the Killing form and the cocycle identity give the standard Casimir calculationThus on every nonzero generalized eigenspace, $c(x)=x({\Omega }^{-1}u)$.

On the zero generalized eigenspace, every irreducible composition factor has zero Casimir eigenvalue. By part i and the classification of finite-dimensional sl2 representations, each such factor is trivial. In a basis adapted to a composition series, the image of ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2$ is therefore strictly upper triangular and hence solvable. Since ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2$ is simple and non-solvable, that image is zero. The cocycle then vanishes because it kills $[{\mathfrak{sl}}_2,{\mathfrak{sl}}_2]$.

Combining the generalized eigenspaces gives $w\in W$ such that $c(x)=xw$ for every $x$. Hence $v-w$ is invariant, andis a decomposition into subrepresentations. This proves the codimension-one case of the Weyl complete reducibility theorem.

The representation ring of finite-dimensional modules for a complex semisimple Lie algebra is the abelian group generated by module classes, with $[V\oplus U]=[V]+[U]$, and multiplication $[V][U]=[V\otimes U]$. Weyl complete reducibility theorem makes the classes of irreducible representations a free integral basis. The formal character map identifies this ring with the Weyl group invariant part of the group ring of a weight lattice. Injectivity follows from distinct highest weights; surjectivity follows by subtracting the character with each maximal dominant weight, whose highest-weight coefficient is one, from a Weyl-invariant finite sum.

// Target: semisimple-lie-algebra.bigb

For a complex semisimple Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}\subseteq \mathrm{End}(V)$ and $X\in \mathfrak{g}$, both parts of its Additive Jordan decomposition lie in $\mathfrak{g}$. The polynomial semisimple part of $\mathrm{ad}X$ shows $X_s$ normalizes $\mathfrak{g}$. Split $\mathrm{End}(V)=\mathfrak{g}\oplus M$ by the Weyl complete reducibility theorem; the $M$-component of $X_s$ centralizes $\mathfrak{g}$. On each irreducible summand of $V$ it is scalar by the Schur lemma. Its trace is zero because $\mathfrak{g}$ is a perfect Lie algebra and the nilpotent part has zero trace, so those scalars vanish. Nonsemisimple subalgebras may fail this property: $\mathbb{C}(I+N)$ with $N\ne 0$ nilpotent contains neither Jordan part of $I+N$.