Wavelet transform

In mathematics, a Lie algebra $𝔤$ is nilpotent if the lower central series

$𝔤>[𝔤,𝔤]>[[𝔤,𝔤],𝔤]>[[[𝔤,𝔤],𝔤],𝔤]>\cdots$

becomes zero eventually. Equivalently, $𝔤$ is nilpotent if

$\mathrm{ad}(x_1)\mathrm{ad}(x_2)\mathrm{ad}(x_3)\mathrm{...}\mathrm{ad}(x_r)=0$

for any sequence $x_i$ of elements of $𝔤$ of sufficiently large length. (Here, $\mathrm{ad}(x)$ is given by $\mathrm{ad}(x)y=[x,y]$.) Consequences are that $\mathrm{ad}(x)$ is nilpotent (as a linear map), and that the Killing form of a nilpotent Lie algebra is identically zero. (In comparison, a Lie algebra is semisimple if and only if its Killing form is nondegenerate.)

Every nilpotent Lie algebra is solvable; this fact gives one of the powerful ways to prove the solvability of a Lie algebra since, in practice, it is usually easier to prove the nilpotency than the solvability. The converse is not true in general. A Lie algebra $𝔤$ is nilpotent if and only if its quotient over an ideal containing the center of $𝔤$ is nilpotent.

Most of classic classification results on nilpotency are concerned with finite-dimensional Lie algebras over a field of characteristic 0. Let $𝔤$ be a finite-dimensional Lie algebra. $𝔤$ is nilpotent if and only if $\mathrm{ad}(𝔤)$ is nilpotent. Engel's theorem states that $𝔤$ is nilpotent if and only if $\mathrm{ad}(x)$ is nilpotent for every $x\in 𝔤$. $𝔤$ is solvable if and only if $[𝔤,𝔤]$ is nilpotent.

Examples

• Every subalgebra and quotient of a nilpotent Lie algebra is nilpotent.
• If ${𝔤𝔩}_k$ is the set of $k\times k$ matrices, then the subalgebra consisting of strictly upper triangular matrices, denoted by ${𝔫}_k$, is a nilpotent Lie algebra.
• A Heisenberg algebra is nilpotent.
• A Cartan subalgebra of a Lie algebra is nilpotent and self-normalizing.

References

• Humphreys, James E. Introduction to Lie Algebras and Representation Theory. Graduate Texts in Mathematics, 9. Springer-Verlag, New York, 1972. ISBN 0-387-90053-5