An EPSRC Doctoral Training Centre in Geometry and Number Theory

LSGNT

London School of Geometry & Number Theory

Lecture Course Notes and Slides

Lie Groups and Geometry, Sections 1-5

Simon Donaldson, 24 February 2025

For this course some knowledge of basic material on Lie groups and Lie algebras is assumed, although this will be reviewed briefly at the start of the course.

Plan:

Simple complex Lie algebras and compact Lie groups. Symmetric spaces. The geometry of co-adjoint orbits and representations of compact Lie groups (Borel-Weil Theorem). Some structure theory (Weyl group, root systems etc.). Spin representations and some exceptional Lie groups. Representations of SL(2,R) and the Selberg Trace formula.