The Lie Algebras su(N): An Introduction

Lie algebras are efficient tools for analyzing the properties of physical systems. Concrete applications comprise the formulation of symmetries of Hamiltonian systems, the description of atomic, molecular and nuclear spectra, the physics of elementary particles and many others. This work gives an introduction to the properties and the structure of the Lie algebras su(n). First, characteristic quantities such as structure constants, the Killing form and functions of Lie algebras are introduc...