Lie groups, Lie algebra books?

1. Dec 27, 2007

waht

I'm looking for a solid book on Lie groups and Lie algebras, there is too many choices out there. What is a classic text, if there is one?

2. Dec 28, 2007

George Jones

Staff Emeritus
Tough question.

How much rigor?

Are you interested because of the beautiful math?

Because of applications to elementary particles and quantum field theory?

Just Lie groups and Lies algebras, or representations, too.

3. Dec 28, 2007

waht

Just pure maths, grad or undergrad, but rigor not blown out of proportions. My end goal is to understand E8, and see what's it all about. Some texts I looked at are aimed at physicists, like Gilmore, or Lipkin. Amazon generates a continuous spectrum of those, I need to settle on one book (eigen-book if you will), with a reasonable eigen-price.

4. Dec 29, 2007

pediejo

I would also like to learn about Lie Algebra for the same reason as waht. E8 seems very interesting and Lie Algebra just seems so fundamental for quantum field theory. A great tool to have, but how should one learn it? Waht, have you checked out Lisi's paper, "An Exceptionally Simple Theory of Everything?" I am having trouble understanding much of anything from it, and I think learning Lie Algebra would be a great start.

Here's his paper: http://arxiv.org/abs/0711.0770

5. Dec 29, 2007

Sojourner01

I too am having trouble with Lie algebras - I'm just getting into classical field theory, never mind QFT. I'm going to need to brush up on my maths to get anywhere with this.

The main problem that's foxing me with them at the moment, and I'd like to find a good answer for, is why it's the commutation relations that are fundamental and not the operators themselves.

6. Dec 29, 2007

George Jones

Staff Emeritus

Semi-Simple Lie Algebras and their Representations
by Robert Cahn is a free book (wasn't free when I picked it up!) on Lie algebras that has a chapter on the exceptional algebras. This book was written for physicists, but doesn't refer to any physics applications.

Representation Theory: A First Course
by Fulton and Harris, a standard math text, starts off terse, but becomes very readable and (maybe too) expansive in its middle. It's cool to see quark multiplet diagrams (as representations of $sl\left(3 , \mathbb{C}\right) \cong \mathbb{C} \otimes su\left(3\right)$) appearing in a pure math book, even though the book doesn't identify them as such.

I have never really looked at the representations of the exceptional Lie algebras, so I can't comment on the treatment in either book.

Last edited: Dec 29, 2007
7. Dec 30, 2007

waht

Yes, I'm familiar with this paper, it's the main reason why I want to learn all the Lie stuff.

Thanks George, that's an excellent book on Lie Algebra, already learned something at first glance.

8. Dec 30, 2007

pediejo

I am actually having trouble viewing this book. What do I need in order to view it?

9. Dec 31, 2007

CompuChip

The chapters are in PostScript (.ps) format, you will need a PS viewer like GhostScript to open them. Alternatively, if you have a LaTeX distribution installed, you could use the ps2pdf program which is included in that to convert the PS to PDF.

10. Dec 31, 2007

waht

11. Dec 31, 2007

CompuChip

You don't need LaTeX by the way, the PS2PDF converter is also freely available as a separate program:
http://www.ps2pdf.com/