← Properties of Representations of Semi-simple Lie-Algebras
What should you be acquainted with? 1. Linear Algebra.

Algebra

Throughout this chapter $A$ will denote a complexified semi-simple Lie-algebra, $H$ a Cartan sub-algebra, $R\sbe H$ the root system and $B$ a base for $R$.

Tensor Products of Modules

Free modules and dual modules

Suppose $E$ is a module over a ring $R$ (with unit). A subset $B$ of $E$ is said to be a basis for $E$ if it`s linearly independent and every element $x$ in $E$ can be expressed as a finite sum $x=\sum r_jb_j$, $r_j\in R$, $b_j\in B$. Now assume we are given any set $X$; we put $R[X]$ to be the set of functions $f:X\rar R$, which vanish at all but a finite number of points. For $x\in X$ and $r\in R$ we denote by $r\d_x$ the map which sends $x$ to $r$ and any other element of $X$ to $0$. Then any $f\in R[X]$ has a unique expansion $$ f=r_1\d_{x_1}+\cdots+r_n\d_{x_n} $$ and therefore the family $\d_x$, $x\in X$, is a basis for the $R$-module $R[X]$ - it`s called the free $R$-module
generated by $X$. This construction also applies in case $X$ is a group $G$: then $R[G]$ is said to be the group algebra over $R$.
The universal property of $R[X]$: Given any map $u:X\rar F$ into an $R$-module $F$ there is a unique linear map $\wt u:R[X]\rar F$ such that $\wt u(\d_x)=u(x)$.
The module $E^*\colon=\Hom(E,R)$ of all $R$-homomorphisms $x^*:E\rar R$ is said to be the dual module
to $E$. Each element in $E^*$ is also called a linear functional on $E$.

Tensor products

Let $R$ be a commutative ring and $E_1,\ldots,E_p$ and $F$ modules over $R$. A tensor product is an $R$-module $T$ and a module homomorphism $j:E_1\times\cdots\times E_p\rar T$ having the following universal property: for each $p$-linear map $u:E_1\times\cdots\times E_p\rar F$ there is a unique module homomorphism $\wh u:T\rar F$ (i.e. a linear map) such that $u=\wh u\circ j$. $T$ is unique up to isomorphism and usually denoted by $$ E_1\otimes\cdots\otimes E_p, $$ and it`s called the tensor product
of the modules $E_1,\ldots,E_p$; $j(x_1,\ldots,x_p)$ will be denoted by $$ x_1\otimes\cdots\otimes x_p~. $$ For simplicity we stick to the construction of $E\otimes F$: Let $R[E\times F]$ be the free module generated by $E\times F$ and $J$ the sub-module of $R[E\times F]$ consisting of all finite sums of elements of the form $$ \d_{(x_1+x_2,y)}-\d_{(x_1,y)}-\d_{(x_2,y)}, \d_{(x,y_1+y_2)}-\d_{(x,y_1)}-\d_{(x,y_2)}, \d_{(rx,y)}-r\d_{(x,y)}, \d_{(x,ry)}-r\d_{(x,y)} $$ and denote by $T$ the quotient module $R[E\times F]/J$ with quotient map $\pi:R[E\times F]\rar T$. Finally, put $j(x,y)\colon=\pi(\d_{(x,y)})$. Now for any bi-linear map $u:E\times F\rar G$ we have a unique linear map $\wt u:R[E\times F]\rar G$ such that $\wt u(\d_{(x,y)})=u(x,y)$ and as $u$ is bi-linear: $\wt u|J=0$. Hence there is a linear map $\wh u:T\rar G$ satisfying $$ u(x,y)=\wt u(\d_{(x,y)})=\wh u(\pi(\d_{(x,y)}))~. $$ As $j\colon(x,y)=\pi(\d_{(x,y)})$, $(x,y)\in E\times F$, generate $T$ we are done, i.e. $(T,j)$ with $j(x,y)\colon=\pi(\d_{(x,y)})$ is a tensor product of $E$ and $F$. Putting $x\otimes y\colon=j(x,y)$, we get by definition of the sub-module $J$: $$ (x_1+x_2)\otimes y=x_1\otimes y+x_2\otimes y, x\otimes(y_1+y_2)=x\otimes y_1+x\otimes y_2, (rx)\otimes y=r(x\otimes y)=x\otimes(ry)~. $$ As $\d_{(x,y)}$ is a basis for $R[E\times F]$ any element of $E\otimes F$ is a finite linear combination of elements of the form $x\otimes y$.
Suppose $J:E\otimes F\rar E\otimes F$ is a homomorphism such that for all $x\in E$ and all $y\in F$: $J(x\otimes y)=x\otimes y$. Then $J=id$.
The identity obviously satisfies $x\otimes y\mapsto x\otimes y$ an by the universal property there is only one such map in $\Hom(E\otimes F)$.
If $\gcd(p,q)=1$, then the tensor product of $\Z_p$ and $\Z_q$ as modules over $\Z$ is $0$!
For all $x\in\Z_p$, all $y\in\Z_q$ we have $p(x\otimes y)=(px)\otimes y=0$ and $q(x\otimes y)=x\otimes(qy)=0$. Since $\gcd(p,q)=1$ there are $a,b\in\Z$ such that $ap+bq=1$ and therefore $x\otimes y=(ap+bq)(x\otimes y)=ap(x\otimes y)+bq(x\otimes y)=0$.
The following modules are isomorphic: $$ \Hom(E;\Hom(F;G)),\quad \Hom(E,F;G),\quad \Hom(E\otimes F;G)~. $$
$\proof$ Suppose $f\in\Hom(E,F;G)$, i.e. $f:E\times F\rar G$ is bi-linear. Then for each $x\in E$ the map $f_x:F\rar G$, $f_x(y)=f(x,y)$ is linear and $x\mapsto f_x$ is a linear map from $E$ into $\Hom(F;G)$. Hence $f\mapsto(x\mapsto f_x)$ is linear with inverse $g\mapsto((x,y)\mapsto g(x)(y)$.
2. For $f\in\Hom(E,F;G)$ there is a unique $\wh f\in\Hom(E\otimes F;G)$ such that for all $x\in E$ and all $y\in F$: $\wh f(x\otimes y)=f(x,y)$. Hence the linear map $f\mapsto\wh f$ is injective. On the other hand given a linear map $u\in \Hom(E\otimes F;G)$, the map $f(x,y)\colon=u(x\otimes y)$ is bi-linear and $\wh u=f$. $\eofproof$
$R\otimes E$ is isomorphic to $E$.
$\proof$ $m:R\times E\rar E$, $(r,x)\mapsto rx$, is bi-linear an thus there is a unique linear map $\wh m:R\otimes E\rar E$ such that $\wh m(r\otimes x)=rx$. On the other hand the map $l:E\rar R\otimes M$, $l(x)\colon=1\otimes x$ satisfies $$ l\circ\wh m(r\otimes x) =l(rx) =1\otimes rx =r(1\otimes x) =r\otimes x \quad\mbox{and}\quad \wh m\circ l(x)=x, $$ i.e. $l\circ\wh m|j(R\times E)=id|j(R\times E)$. By exam $l$ is an isomorphism with inverse $\wh m$. $\eofproof$
1. The tensor product of $\Q$ and $\Q$ as modules over $\Z$ is $\Q$. 2. The tensor product of $\Q$ and $\R$ as modules over $\Z$ is $\R$. 3. The tensor product of $\Z_p$ and $\Q$ as modules over $\Z$ is $0$
1.,2.: For $p\in\Q$ and $q\in\Q$ or $q\in\R$ we get as im the previous proposition: $\wh m(p\otimes q)=pq$ and $l(p)=1\otimes x$ $$ l\circ\wh m(p\otimes q) =l(pq) =1\otimes pq =p(1\otimes q) =p\otimes q, $$ 3. $n\otimes q=n\otimes p(q/p)=p(n\otimes(q/p))=np\otimes(q/p)=0$.
$E\otimes(F\times G)$ is isomorphic to $E\otimes F\times E\otimes G$.
$\proof$ Define $B:E\times(F\times G)\rar E\otimes F\times E\otimes G$ by $$ B(x,(y,z))\colon=(x\otimes y,x\otimes z)~. $$ Then $B$ is bi-linear and thus there is a unique linear map $\wh B:E\otimes(F\times G)\rar E\otimes F\times E\otimes G$ such that $$ \wh B(x\otimes(y,z))=B(x,(y,z))\colon=(x\otimes y,x\otimes z) $$ Put $J_2:E\times G\rar E\otimes(F\times G)$, $J_2(x,z)=x\otimes(0,z)$ and $J_1:E\times F\rar E\otimes(F\times G)$, $J_1(x,y)=x\otimes(y,0)$; both are bi-linear. Hence there are linear maps: $\wh J_2:E\otimes G\rar E\otimes(F\times G)$ and $\wh J_1:E\otimes F\rar E\otimes(F\times G)$ such that $$ \wh J_1(x\otimes y)=J_1(x,y)=(x\otimes(y,0)),\quad \wh J_2(x\otimes z)=J_2(x,z)=(x\otimes(0,z))~. $$ Finally we define $\wh J:E\otimes F\times E\otimes G\rar E\otimes(F\times G)$ by $$ \wh J(X,Y)\colon=\wh J_1(X)+\wh J_2(Y)~. $$ Now for all $x,u\in E$, all $y\in F$ and all $z\in G$ we have $$ \wh J\circ\wh B(x\otimes(y,z)) =\wh J(x\otimes y,x\otimes z) =\wh J_1(x\otimes y)+\wh J_2(x\otimes z) =x\otimes(y,0)+x\otimes(0,z) =x\otimes(y,z) $$ and $$ \wh B\circ\wh J(x\otimes y,u\otimes z) =\wh B(\wh J_1(x\otimes y)+\wh J_2(u\otimes z)) =\wh B(x\otimes(y,0)+u\otimes(0,z)) =(x\otimes y,0)+(0,u\otimes z) =(x\otimes y,u\otimes z)~. $$ By exam both maps $\wh J\circ\wh B$ and $\wh B\circ\wh J$ are the identities. Hence $\wh B$ is an isomorphism with inverse $\wh J$. $\eofproof$
The assertion generalizes to finite products and to arbitrary direct sums, i.e. $$ \Big(\bigoplus_j E_j\Big)\otimes E \quad\mbox{is isomorphic to}\quad \bigoplus_j(E_j\otimes E)~. $$
$R^n\otimes F$ is isomorphic to $F^n$. More generally, if $E$ is a free module with basis $e_j$, $j\in I$, then every element of $E\otimes F$ can be uniquely written as $$ \sum_{j\in I}e_j\otimes y_j, $$ where all but a finite number of $y_j$ are $0$. 2. If $E,F$ are both free $R$-modules with bases $e_j$, $j\in I$, and $f_j$, $j\in J$, then $E\otimes F$ is free with basis $e_j\otimes f_k$, $(j,k)\in I\times J$.
Suppose $f_j\in\Hom(E_j;F_j)$, $j=1,\ldots,p$, then the map $\prod f_j:\prod E_j\rar\prod F_j\rar\bigotimes F_j$: $$ \prod f_j(x_1,\ldots,x_p)\colon=f_1(x_1)\otimes\cdots\otimes f_p(x_p) $$ is linear in each component. Hence there is a unique linear map $T(f_1,\ldots,f_p):\bigotimes E_j\rar\bigotimes F_j$ such that $$ T(f_1,\ldots,f_p)(x_1\otimes\cdots\otimes x_p)=f_1(x_1)\otimes\cdots\otimes f_p(x_p) $$ Now the map $T:\prod\Hom(E_j;F_j)\rar\Hom(\bigotimes E_j;\bigotimes F_j)$ is again linear in each component and thus there is a unique homomorphism $$ \wh T:\bigotimes\Hom(E_j;F_j)\rar\Hom(\bigotimes E_j;\bigotimes F_j) $$ such that $\wh T(f_1\otimes\cdots\otimes f_p)=T(f_1,\ldots,f_p)$. In abuse of notation the linear map $T(f_1,\ldots,f_p):\bigotimes E_j\rar\bigotimes F_j$ is also written $f_1\otimes\cdots\otimes f_p$. If all modules are finite dimensional and free, then $\wh T$ is an isomorphism.
← Properties of Representations of Semi-simple Lie-Algebras → Glossary

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Last modified: Wed Jun 16 13:31:42 CEST 2021