
208
Chapter
14. Lie Algebras
and
Dynkin
Diagrams for
80(21), 80(21
+
1) ...
There
is
a "tensor" way of describing
the
generators
and
Lie algebra of
SU(l
+
1), which we now describe
but
which we do
not
use
later
on.
Let
indices
j,
k,
m,
...
,
run
over
1,2,
..
. ,
l
+
1.
Introduce
the
following
set
of matrices in
l
+
1 dimensions:
(
Aj
)m
-
8
j
8
m
1
8
j
8
m
kn-nk-z+
1
kn'
(Aj
k )
t
=
A
k
j
,
Aj.
=
0
J '
TrA\
=
0
(14.51 )
Any
hermitian
traceless
(l
+
1) dimensional
matrix
X,
such
that
U
c:::
1 -
iEX
is
an
infinitesimal element of SU(l + 1),
can
be
uniquely
written
as a combination
of these
A's:
(14.52)
Thus,
the
Aj
k
subject
to
th
e vanishing of
Aj
j
can
be used as a (nonreal) basis
for
the
Lie
algebra
of SU(l
+
1).
Their
commutation
relations
are
quite simple:
(14.53)
One
can then
define
the
Lie algebra of SU
(Z
+
1) by
these
brackets,
the
hermiticity
condition in Eq.(14.51),
and
the
understanding
that
the
Aj
k
are
an
over
complete
basis for
the
Lie algebra since
the
sum
Aj
j
must
vanish.
While one
can
certainly proceed
with
such a scheme, we shall instead
start
afresh
and
identify
the
Cartan
subalgebra, weights
and
roots
in a different fash-
ion.
In
the
defining representation
D,
the
subgroup
of
diagonal matrices
can
be
taken
as
the
source of
the
Ha:
thus
we need a complete independent set of real
diagonal
(l
+
1)
dimensional traceless matrices.
That
these will be maximal is
obvious. Any
X
commuting
with
all diagonal traceless matrices is itself neces-
sarily diagonal. We therefore define
the
elements of
the
Cartan
sub
algebra in