Rotation group in eight dimensions
Spin(8)/{±1} for the vector-cover kernel. The real orthogonal 8 × 8 matrices of determinant 1.
Reference properties
Global structure and topology
Its universal cover is Spin(8) with the vector-cover kernel {±1}. The remaining center {±I} gives the quotient PSO(8). Triality identifies other order-two Spin(8) quotients abstractly, without identifying their chosen vector or spinor actions. [sources]
Representation category and descent
Use finite-dimensional continuous complex representations. An irreducible representation of the simply connected compact cover descends precisely when the specified covering kernel acts trivially; the same Lie algebra does not remove that global condition. [sources]
Related objects and maps
- Real Lie algebra
- Real-form context
- Explicit homomorphism
- Specified connected covering group
Claims and sources
Each assertion has a stable identifier within this record and a source locator or derivation. Cite the dataset edition when referring to a corrected or historical claim.
Definition
The real orthogonal 8 × 8 matrices of determinant 1.
- Lie Groups and Lie AlgebrasSections 6.1–6.3: classical matrix groups and their Lie algebrasOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLectures 26–28 and Appendix V: compact semisimple groups and highest weightsOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 16, printed page 73: SU(n) and Sp(n) are simply connectedOpen source
group:so-8#definitionReal dimension
28
- Lie Groups and Lie AlgebrasSections 6.1–6.3: classical matrix groups and their Lie algebrasOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 25 and Appendix T: root systems and classical root computationsOpen source
- Lecture 6: Maximal Root, Exponents, Coxeter Numbers, Dual RepresentationsSection 32.4, printed pages 175–176: Coxeter and dual Coxeter numbersOpen source
group:so-8#dimensionCompact rank
4
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 25 and Appendix T: root systems and classical root computationsOpen source
group:so-8#rankCenter
C₂
- Math 210C. Centers of simply connected semisimple groupsPages 2–4: centers of simply connected groups by root-system typeOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsAppendix O, pages 231–232: fundamental groups and covering groups; Appendix V: central quotientsOpen source
group:so-8#centerFundamental group π₁
C₂
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsAppendix O, pages 231–232: fundamental groups and covering groups; Appendix V: central quotientsOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 16, including (16.6), and Appendix P: Spin(n) as the simply connected double cover for n ≥ 3Open source
group:so-8#pi1Compact
Yes
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLectures 26–28 and Appendix V: compact semisimple groups and highest weightsOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 16, printed page 73: SU(n) and Sp(n) are simply connectedOpen source
group:so-8#compactConnected
Yes
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLectures 26–28 and Appendix V: compact semisimple groups and highest weightsOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 16, printed page 73: SU(n) and Sp(n) are simply connectedOpen source
group:so-8#connectedAbelian
No
- Lie Groups and Lie AlgebrasSections 6.1–6.3: classical matrix groups and their Lie algebrasOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 25 and Appendix T: root systems and classical root computationsOpen source
group:so-8#abelianSimple real Lie algebra
Yes
- Lecture 15: Classification of Real Forms of Semisimple Lie AlgebrasSections 41.2–41.4: compact, split, and classical real formsOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 25 and Appendix T: root systems and classical root computationsOpen source
group:so-8#simple-algebraGlobal form
Spin(8)/{±1} for the vector-cover kernel
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsAppendix O, pages 231–232: fundamental groups and covering groups; Appendix V: central quotientsOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 16, including (16.6), and Appendix P: Spin(n) as the simply connected double cover for n ≥ 3Open source
- Math 210C. Centers of simply connected semisimple groupsPages 2–4: centers of simply connected groups by root-system typeOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsAppendix T.2, printed pages 261–262, especially Remark T.2.1: center, intermediate quotients, and trialityOpen source
group:so-8#global-formReal Lie algebra
so(8)
- Lie Groups and Lie AlgebrasSections 6.1–6.3: classical matrix groups and their Lie algebrasOpen source
- Lecture 15: Classification of Real Forms of Semisimple Lie AlgebrasSections 41.2–41.4: compact, split, and classical real formsOpen source
group:so-8#lie-algebraGlobal structure and topology
Its universal cover is Spin(8) with the vector-cover kernel {±1}. The remaining center {±I} gives the quotient PSO(8). Triality identifies other order-two Spin(8) quotients abstractly, without identifying their chosen vector or spinor actions.
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 16, including (16.6), and Appendix P: Spin(n) as the simply connected double cover for n ≥ 3Open source
- Math 210C. Centers of simply connected semisimple groupsPages 2–4: centers of simply connected groups by root-system typeOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsAppendix T.2, printed pages 261–262, especially Remark T.2.1: center, intermediate quotients, and trialityOpen source
group:so-8#topology-1Representation category and descent
Use finite-dimensional continuous complex representations. An irreducible representation of the simply connected compact cover descends precisely when the specified covering kernel acts trivially; the same Lie algebra does not remove that global condition.
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLectures 27–28: highest-weight classification and fundamental representationsOpen source
- Lecture 17: Classification of Connected Compact and Complex Reductive GroupsSection 43.1, Proposition 43.2 and Corollary 43.5: weight lattices and descent to central quotientsOpen source
group:so-8#representations-1Real Lie algebra
algebra:so-8-compact-r
- Lie Groups and Lie AlgebrasSections 6.1–6.3: classical matrix groups and their Lie algebrasOpen source
- Lecture 15: Classification of Real Forms of Semisimple Lie AlgebrasSections 41.2–41.4: compact, split, and classical real formsOpen source
group:so-8#relation-1Real-form context
real-form:so-8-compact-r
- Lecture 15: Classification of Real Forms of Semisimple Lie AlgebrasSections 41.2–41.4: compact, split, and classical real formsOpen source
group:so-8#relation-2Explicit homomorphism
map:spin-8-to-so-8
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 16, including (16.6), and Appendix P: Spin(n) as the simply connected double cover for n ≥ 3Open source
- Math 210C. Centers of simply connected semisimple groupsPages 2–4: centers of simply connected groups by root-system typeOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsAppendix T.2, printed pages 261–262, especially Remark T.2.1: center, intermediate quotients, and trialityOpen source
group:so-8#relation-3Specified connected covering group
group:spin-8
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsLecture 16, including (16.6), and Appendix P: Spin(n) as the simply connected double cover for n ≥ 3Open source
- Math 210C. Centers of simply connected semisimple groupsPages 2–4: centers of simply connected groups by root-system typeOpen source
- Conrad and Landesman · Compact Lie groupsAppendix T.2, printed pages 261–262, especially Remark T.2.1: center, intermediate quotients, and trialityOpen source
group:so-8#relation-4