SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN LIE ALGEBRAS IN PARTICLE PHYSICS

BY HOWARD GEORGI
STEPHEN HANCOCK

STEPHEN HANCOCK

Chapter 6 Solutions
6.A. Clearly |N E+ i has root vector + since Hi |N E+ i = N Hi |E+ i = N (+)i |E+ i =
(+)i |N E+ i. Because the nonzero weights uniquely specify the states for the adjoint representation
up to a normalization factorit suffices to show that |[E , E ]i has root vector + . Indeed,
since E |E i = |[E , E ]i and
Hi E |E i = [Hi , E ]|E i + E Hi |E i = i E |E i + E i |E i = ( + )i E |E i,
we see that Hi |[E , E ]i = ( + )i |[E , E ]i. Hence [E , E ] = N E+ . If + is not a root,
then N = 0.
6.B. Suppose [E , E ] = N E+ . By 6.A, we also have [E , E ] = N 0 E and [E , E ] =
N 00 E for some N 0 and N 00 . Using the Jacobi identity and [E , E ] = H, we obtain
0 = [E , [E , E ]] + [E , [E , E ]] + [E , [E , E ]]
= [E , N 00 E ] + [E , N 0 E ] + [E , N E+ ]
= N 00 H N 0 H N ( + ) H
= ((N 00 N ) (N 0 + N )) H.
Since and are linearly independent, and the generators Hi (components of H) are linearly
independent, it follows that N 00 = N and N 0 = N . Therefore, [E , E ] = N E and
[E , E ] = N E .
6.C. Take H1 = 3 = diag(1, 1, 1, 1) and H2 = 3 3 = diag(1, 1, 1, 1). For the four dimensional representation, the states and associated weights vectors are clearly
(1, 0, 0, 0)T with weight (1, 1)
(0, 1, 0, 0)T with weight (1, 1)
(0, 0, 1, 0)T with weight (1, 1)
(0, 0, 0, 1)T with weight (1, 1).
The weights of the adjoint representation are the differences of these weights, along with the two
elements of the Cartan subalgebra. The distinct differences, up to sign, are (1, 1) (1, 1) = (0, 2),
(1, 1) (1, 1) = (2, 2), (1, 1) (1, 1) = (2, 0), and (1, 1) (1, 1) = (2, 2), so the roots are
(0, 0), (0, 0), (0, 2), (2, 2), (2, 0), (2, 2), (0, 2), (2, 2), (2, 0), (2, 2).

H2

H1

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN LIE ALGEBRAS IN PARTICLE PHYSICS BY HOWARD GEORGI

Chapter 8 Solutions
8.A. The simple roots are the positive roots that cannot be written as the sum of other positive
roots, namely
1 = (0, 2)
and
2 = (2, 2).
Roots (2, 0) and (2, 2) are not simple because (2, 0) = (2, 2) + (0, 2) and (2, 2) = (2, 2) + 2(0, 2).
The fundamental weights j are defined by
2j k
j 2

= jk .

The fundamental weights are therefore

1 = (1, 1)

and

2 = (2, 0)

and

2(2, 2) 1
2(0, 2) 2
=
= 0.
(2, 2)2
(0, 2)2

since

2(2, 2) 2
2(0, 2) 1
=
=1
(0, 2)2
(2, 2)2
The angle between 1 and 2 is

1 2
(0, 2) (2, 2)
1
=
= = 1 2 = 135 .
1
2
| || |
|(0, 2)||(2, 2)|
2
The Dynkin diagram for the algebra is thus the following.
cos 1 2 =

8.B. We may change basis and

0 0
1
1 + 1 1
0 0
=
J1 =

1 1
4
4
1 1

0 0
2 + 2 1
1
0 0
J2 =
=

i i
4
4
i i

1 1
3 + 3 1
1
1 1
=
J3 =
4
4 0 0
0 0

consider the following six generators for

1 1
1 1 1
1
1 1

K1 =
=

0 0
4
4
0 0

i i
2 2 1
1
i i

K2 =
=

0
0
4
4
0
0

0
0
3 3 1
1
0
0

=
K3 =

1 1
4
4
1 1

the algebra:

0
0
1 1
0
0 1
1

1 1
0
0
1
1
0
0

0
0 i
i
0
0
i i

i i
0
0
i
i
0
0

1 1
0
0
1
1
0
0
.
0
0 1
1
0
0
1 1

We easily calculate that

[Ji , Jj ] = iijk Jk ,
Now take J3 and K3 as the Cartan

0 0
J1 + iJ2
1
0 0
+
J =
=

0 0
2
2 2
0 0

0 0

iJ
1
0 0
1
2
J =
=

1 1
2
2 2
1 1

[Ki , Kj ] = iijk Kk ,

[Ji , Kj ] = 0.

generators and

1 1
0 0
1 1
0 0 1
K
+
iK
1
1 1
1
1
2
+

K =
=

0 0
0
0
0
0
2
2 2
0 0
0 0
0
0

0 0
0
0 0 0

iK
1
0 0
0
0 0 0
1
2

K =
=

0 0
1
1
0 0
2
2 2
0 0
1
1 0 0

STEPHEN HANCOCK

as the other four generators for the adjoint representation. We have

[J3 , J ] = J ,

[K3 , J ] = 0,

[J3 , K ] = 0,

The six root vectors are therefore

|J3 i with root (0, 0)

[K3 , K ] = K .

|K3 i with root (0, 0)

|J + i with root (1, 0)

|K + i with root (0, 1)

|J i with root (1, 0)

|K i with root (0, 1).

We should also have [J + , J ] = (1, 0) (J3 , K3 ) = J3 and [K + , K ] = (0, 1) (J3 , K3 ) = K3 , and it

is easily checked that these are satisfied.
K3

J3

Both {J1 , J2 , J3 } and {K1 , K2 , K3 } are nontrivial invariant subalgebras, and thus the algebra is not
simple. The commutation relations show that the group generated is in fact SU (2) SU (2), and
thus there are no nontrivial abelian subgroups and the group is semisimple. The simple roots are
1 = (1, 0)

and

2 = (0, 1).

These are orthogonal, i.e., 1 2 = 90 , and so the Dynkin diagram is as follows.

8.C. We are given 1 = 2, 2 = 2, 3 = 1, and the Dynkin diagram below.

Using Georgis convention, the Cartan matrix is defined by

Aji =
It follows that

2j i
i 2

i Aji = j Aij
and
Aji Aij = 4 cos2 i j .
Note that for i 6= j, 4 cos2 i j is the number of lines between i and j in the Dynkin diagram.
Clearly A11 = A22 = A33 = 2 and A13 = A31 = 0. The above relations give
A12 /A21 = 1
A23 /A32 = 2
and
A12 A21 = 1
A23 A32 = 2,
with nonpositive solution A12 = 1, A21 = 1, A23 = 2, A32 = 1. The Cartan matrix is

2 1
0
1
2 2 .
0 1
2

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN LIE ALGEBRAS IN PARTICLE PHYSICS BY HOWARD GEORGI

Chapter 12 Solutions
12.A. Using the method discussed in the text, we calculate

a a a

a a

a b

a a

b
a a

a a

a
b

a a

a a a
b

a a a

a a a

b
a

a a

a
a a b

a
a

a b

a
a a

a
a a

a
a b

a a
a b

Canceling columns with 3 boxes (factors of ), we have shown

or

(2, 1) (2, 1) = (4, 2) (5, 0) (2, 3) (3, 1) (3, 1) (0, 4) (1, 2) (1, 2) (2, 0) (0, 1).

In terms of the corresponding dimensionalities, we can write this as

15 15 = 60 42 24 24 21 15 15 150 6 3,

where we have defined 15 (2, 1) and 150 (4, 0).

We use the following procedure to determine which representations appear symmetrically in the
product and which appear antisymmatrically. Transpositions in rows contribute a factor of +1,

STEPHEN HANCOCK

while transpositions in columns contribute a factor of 1.

c c c a + a a a c
d a a b
b c c d

c c c a a a + a a a c c c
d b
b d

c c c a
a a a c
b c c
d a a
b
d

c c c a a a
a a a c c c
b
d
b
d

c c c a
a a a c
+ b c d
d a b
a
c

c c c a a a a a c c
d a b
b c d
c c c a a
a a a c c
+ b c
d a
b
d

c c c a
a a a c
b c
d a
a b
c d

c c c a a
a a a c c
b d
d b
a
c

c c c
a a a
d a a + b c c
a b
c d

It follows that
[(2, 1) (2, 1)]S = (4, 2) (3, 1) (0, 4) (1, 2) (0, 1)
[(2, 1) (2, 1)]AS = (5, 0) (2, 3) (3, 1) (1, 2) (2, 0)
or
[15 15]S = 60 24S 15S 150 3
[15 15]AS = 42 24AS 21 15AS 6.
Chapter 13 Solutions
13.E. We calculate
a a =

a a

a
so that [2] [1, 1] = [2, 1, 1] [3, 1]. Using the factors over hooks rule, we have
D([2] [1, 1]) = D[2] D[1, 1] =

N (N 1) N (N + 1)
N 2 (N 2 1)

=
21
21
4

and
N (N + 1)(N + 2)(N 1) N (N + 1)(N 1)(N 2)
+
4211
4121
N (N 2 1)(N + 2 + N 2)
N (N 2 1)(2N )
N 2 (N 2 1)
=
=
=
.
8
8
4
Thus D([2] [1, 1]) = D([2, 1, 1] [3, 1]), and the dimensions check out for arbitrary N .
D([2, 1, 1] [3, 1]) = D[2, 1, 1] + D[3, 1] =

Chapter 19 Solutions
19.A. We must check that the elements a , a , a , and a b c close under commutation. Clearly
[a , b ] = [a , b ] = [a , b ] = 0,
and we know that
[a , b ] = 2iabc c ,

[a , b ] = 2iabc c ,

[a , b ] = 2iabc c .

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN LIE ALGEBRAS IN PARTICLE PHYSICS BY HOWARD GEORGI

Next, we have
[a , b c d ] = [a , b ]c d = 2iabe e c d
[a , b c d ] = [a , c ]d b = 2iace b e d
[a , b c d ] = [a , d ]b c = 2iade b c e .
Finally,
[a b c , d e f ] = [a , d ]e b f c + [b , e ]f c a d + [c , f ]a d b e
= 2iadg g (be ibeh h )(cf icf i i ) + 2ibeh h (cf icf i i )(ad + iadg g )
+ 2icf i i (ad + iadg g )(be + ibeh h )
= 2ibe cf adg g + 2be cf i adg i g + 2cf adg beh g h 2iadg beh cf i g h i
+ 2icf ad beh h 2cf adg beh g h + 2ad beh cf i h i + 2iadg beh cf i g h i
+ 2iad be cf i i 2ad beh cf i h i 2be cf i adg i g 2iadg beh cf i g h i
= 2ibe cf adg g + 2icf ad beh h + 2iad be cf i i 2iadg beh cf i g h i .
The terms lying outside the given set of matrices canceled! So we see that the algebra is closed,
i.e., the 36 matrices form a Lie algebra.
Take the Cartan generators to be
3 = H1 = diag(1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)
3 = H2 = diag(1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)
3 = H3 = diag(1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1)
3 3 3 = H4 = diag(1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1).
The weights of the defining representation are therefore
1 = (1, 1, 1, 1),

2 = (1, 1, 1, 1),

3 = (1, 1, 1, 1),

4 = (1, 1, 1, 1),

5 = (1, 1, 1, 1),

6 = (1, 1, 1, 1),

7 = (1, 1, 1, 1),

8 = (1, 1, 1, 1).

Noting that 5 = 4 , 6 = 3 , 7 = 2 , and 8 = 1 , all differences of weights along with

the four elements of the Cartan subalgebra are
0,

0,
1

0,
2

0,
3

2 ,

2 ,

2 ,

2 4 ,

( 1 + 2 ),

( 1 2 ),

( 1 + 3 ),

( 1 3 ),

( 1 + 4 ),

( 1 4 ),

( 2 + 3 ),

( 2 3 ),

( 2 + 4 ),

( 2 4 ),

( 3 + 4 ),

( 3 4 ).

These are the 36 roots. Explicitly, they are

(0, 0, 0, 0),

(0, 0, 0, 0)

(0, 0, 0, 0)

(0, 0, 0, 0),

(2, 2, 2, 2),

(2, 2, 2, 2)

(2, 2, 2, 2)

(2, 2, 2, 2),

(2, 2, 0, 0),

(0, 0, 2, 2),

(2, 0, 2, 0),

(0, 2, 0, 2),

(2, 0, 0, 2),

(0, 2, 2, 0),

(2, 0, 0, 2)

(0, 2, 2, 0),

(2, 0, 2, 0),

(0, 2, 0, 2),

(2, 2, 0, 0),

(0, 0, 2, 2).

We can check thisby finding eigen-generators

of the Cartan

generators under commutation.

Let = (1 i2 )/ 2, = (1 i2 )/ 2, and = (1 i2 )/ 2. We change basis and consider

STEPHEN HANCOCK

the 32 generators
0 3 3 ,
0 3 ,
0 00 ,

0 3 3 ,
3 0 ,

0 3 3 ,
3 0 ,

along with our original 4 Cartan generators. We find that

[Hi , Hj ] = i Hj

where

= (0, 0, 0, 0)

[Hi , 3 3 ] = i ( 3 3 )

where

= (2, 0, 0, 0 2)

[Hi , 0 3 3 ] = i ( 0 3 3 )

where

= (0, 2, 0, 0 2)

[Hi , 0 3 3 ] = i ( 0 3 3 )

where = (0, 0, 2, 0 2)

[Hi , 0 3 ] = i 0 3

where

= (2, 0 2, 0, 0)

[Hi , 3 0 ] = i 3 0

where

= (2, 0, 0 2, 0)

[Hi , 3 0 ] = i 3 0

where

= (0, 2, 0 2, 0)

[Hi , 0 00 ] = i 0 00

where

= (2, 0 2, 00 2, 0 00 2),

which is in agreement with the roots listed previously.

The simple roots are seen to be
1 = (0, 0, 2, 2),

2 = (0, 2, 2, 0),

3 = (0, 0, 2, 2),

4 = (2, 2, 2, 2)

because all other positive roots can be written as sums of these. Using cos = /(||||), the
angles between them are
1 2 = 120 ,

2 3 = 120 ,

3 4 = 135 ,

with all other angles 90 . Also note that |1 | = |2 | = |3 | = 2 2 and |4 | = 4 so that the first
three simple roots are of equal length, while 4 is 2 longer. The Dynkin diagram is therefore

This corresponds to the algebra Sp(8) = C4 .

Chapter 21 Solutions
21.A. Georgi constructs the spinor rep generators in Chapter 21. We need simply permute indices
3 2 1 3 in his definitions
of the 10 matrices given. We
to make them linear combinations

therefore let = (3 i1 )/ 2 and = (3 i1 )/ 2. The Cartan generators are 12 2 = H1

and 12 2 = H2 , or explicitly

0 0 i
0
1
1 0 0
0 i

2 = H1 =
0
0
2
2 i 0
0 i
0
0

0 i 0
0
1
1 i
0 0
0
.
2 = H2 =
0 0 i
2
2 0
0
0 i
0

SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS IN LIE ALGEBRAS IN PARTICLE PHYSICS BY HOWARD GEORGI

The generators corresponding to the roots are 21 , 12 2 , and 14 0 , or explicitly

1 0
i
0
1
0 i
0
1
1 0 1
1
1 0
0
i
1
0 i

+ =
=

i
0
1
0
i
0
1
0
2
2
2 2
2 2
0 i
0 1
0 i
0 1

0
0 i 1
0
0 i 1
1 0
1 0
1
1
0
1 i
0 1
i

2 + =
2 =

i 1
0 0
i
1
0
0
2
2
2 2
2 2
1 i
0 0
1 i
0
0

1
i
i 1
1
i i
1
1
1
1 i 1 1 i
1 i 1
1
i

+ + =
+ =

i 1 1 i
i
1 1 i
4
8
4
8
1 i i
1
1
i i
1

1 i
i
1
1 i i 1
1
1
1 i 1
1 i 1 1
1 i
i

.
+ =
=

i
1 1
i
i 1 1
i
4
8
4
8
1 i
i
1
1
i
i
1
It is easily checked that
[Hi , Hj ] = i Hj
[Hi , 12 ]
[Hi , 12 2 ]
[Hi , 41 0 ]

where

= (0, 0)

i ( 12 )
i ( 12 2 )

where = (0, 1)

i ( 14 0 )

where = (1, 0 1).

where = (1, 0)

That is, the roots are

(0, 0), (0, 0), (1, 0), (0, 1), (1, 0), (0, 1), (1, 1), (1, 1), (1, 1), (1, 1),
which defines the spinor rep.
We now check that the generators act on the states as expected. Take

1
1
 
 
 
 

i
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
i
1
1

| i =

=
| i =
2 i
2 i
2 i
2 i
2 i
2 i
1
1

1
1
 
 
 
 
1
1
1 i
1
1
1 i
1
1
1
1

.
| i =

=
| i =

i
2
2 i
2 i
2 i
2 i
2 i
1
1
These are simultaneous eigenvectors
1
1
+ | i = | i
2
2
1
1
+ | i = | i
2
2
1
1
| i = | i
2
2
1
1
| i = | i
2
2

of H1 and H2 . We find that

1
1
2 + | i = | i
2
2
1
1
2 + | i = | i
2
2
1
1
2 | i = | i
2
2
1
1
2 | i = | i
2
2

1
+ + | i =
4
1
+ | i =
4
1
+ | i =
4
1
| i =
4

1
| i
2
1
| i
2
1
| i
2
1
| i,
2

10

STEPHEN HANCOCK

while any other combination gives 0, as expected for the spinor rep.
The simple roots are
1 = (0, 1)
and
2 = (1, 1).
Note that 1 2 = 135 and |2 | > |1 |, yielding the following Dynkin diagram corresponding to
SO(5).

Following Georgi, the matrix R is

0
0
0
0
R = 1 3 =
1
0
0 1

1
0
0 1
.
0
0
0
0

It is trivial to check that R = R1 and that Ta = RTa R for each generator Ta .