Lie Algebras and Lie Groups Homework I

Pádraig Sheehy
Due: 20-09-2019

Problem 1
Given an associative algebra A, define the commutator:

[x, y] = xy − yx, ∀x, y ∈ A.

Verify the Jacobi identity:

[x, [y, z]] + [y, [z, x]] + [z, [x, y]] = 0, ∀x, y, z ∈ A

Solution:
For all x, y, z ∈ A, we have:

[x, [y, z]] + [y, [z, x]] + [z, [x, y]] = [x, yz − zy] + [y, zx − xz] + [z, xy − yx]
= [x, yz] − [x, zy] + [y, zx] − [y, xz] + [z, xy] − [z, yx]
= xyz − yzx − xzy + zyx + yzx − zxy
− yxz + xzy + zxy − xyz − zyx + yxz
=0

Problem 2
Let A be an algebra over a field K. Show that for any δ, δ0 ∈ Der A, their commutator [δ, δ0 ] is also a derivation.

i.e. [δ, δ0 ](ab) = [δ, δ0 ](a) · b + a · [δ, δ0 ](b), ∀a, b ∈ A.

Solution:
For all a, b ∈ A, we have:

[δ, δ0 ](ab) = δ(δ0 (ab)) − δ0 (δ(ab))

= δ(aδ0 (b) + δ0 (a) · b) − δ0 (aδ(b) + δ(a) · b)
= δ(a) · δ0 (b) + a · (δ(δ0 (b))) + δ(δ0 (a)) · b + δ0 (a) · δ(b)
− (δ0 (a) · δ(b) + a · (δ0 (δ(b))) + δ0 (δ(a)) · b + δ(a) · δ0 (b))
= a · (δ(δ0 (b))) − a · (δ0 (δ(b))) + δ(δ0 (a)) · b − δ0 (δ(a)) · b
= [δ, δ0 ](a) · b + a · [δ, δ0 ](b)

Thus, for all δ, δ0 ∈ Der A, their commutator [δ, δ0 ] is also a derivation.

Problem 3
Consider the basis:
     
0 1 0 0 1 0
x= , y= , h=
0 0 1 0 0 −1
of the Lie algebra sl2 (k)

1
 1. Show that
[x, y] = h, [h, x] = 2x, [h, y] = −2y.
2. Find the matrices of ad x, ad y, ad h in the basis (x, y, h).

Solution:
1. (a) [x, y] = h
[x, y] = xy − yx
     
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
= −
0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0
   
1 0 0 0
= −
0 0 0 1
 
1 0
=
0 −1
=h
(b) [h, x] = 2x
[h, x] = hx − xh
     
1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0
= −
0 −1 0 0 0 0 0 −1
   
0 1 0 −1
= −
0 0 0 0
 
0 2
=
0 0
= 2x
(c) [h, y] = −2y
[h, y] = hy − yh
     
1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
= −
0 −1 1 0 1 0 0 −1
   
0 0 0 0
= −
−1 0 1 0
 
0 0
=
−2 0
= −2y

2. (a) adx
adx(x) = [x, x] = 0
adx(y) = [x, y] = h
adx(h) = [x, h] = −[h, x] = −2x

 
0 0 −2
Thus, adx = 0 0 0
0 1 0
(b) ady
ady(x) = [y, x] = −[x, y] = −h
ady(y) = [y, y] = 0
ady(h) = [y, h] = −[h, y] = 2y

 
0 0 0
Thus, ady =  0 0 2
−1 0 0

2
 (c) adh

adh(x) = [h, x] = 2x
adh(y) = [h, y] = −2y
adh(h) = [h, h] = 0

 
2 0 0
Thus, adh = 0 −2 0
0 0 0

Problem 4
Consider the Witt algebra:
d
Der C[t, t−1 ] = C[t, t−1 ]∂, ∂= : f 7→ f 0
dt
and its basis
Ln = −tn+1 ∂ : f 7→ −tn+1 f 0 , n ∈ Z.
Show that:
1. [f ∂, g∂] = (f g 0 − gf 0 )∂ ∀f, g ∈ C[t, t−1 ]
2. [Lm , Ln ] = (m − n)Lm+n ∀m, n ∈ Z.

Solution:
1. For all f, g ∈ C[t, t−1 ], we have:

[f ∂, g∂] = f ∂(g∂) − g∂(f ∂)

= f · (g∂(∂) + ∂(g) · ∂) − g · (f ∂(∂) + ∂(f ) · ∂)
= f g 0 · ∂ − gf 0 · ∂
= (f g 0 − gf 0 )∂

2. Using 1. we have that for all m, n ∈ Z:

[Lm , Ln ] = [−tm+1 ∂, −tn+1 ∂]

= (−tm+1 · (−(n + 1)tn ) − (−tn+1 · (−(m + 1)tm )))∂
= (n − m)(tm+n−1 )∂
= (m − n)Lm+n