Difficulty understanding a proposition in Fulton and Harris regarding $\mathrm{Sp}_{2n}(\mathbb{C})$

lie-groupslinear algebrarepresentation-theorysymplectic-linear-algebra

In Fulton & Harris, Proposition 23.1 (computing the fundamental groups of classical complex Lie groups) and the Exercises after it, specifically in dealing with $\mathrm{Sp}_{2n}(\mathbb{C})$,

the book seems to suggest that the following two submanifolds are diffeomorphic to each other:
$$
M = \left\{ ((x_1,x_2),(y_1,y_2)) \in \mathbb{C}^{2n}\times\mathbb{C}^{2n}
: x_1^Ty_2 – x_2^Ty_1 = 1 \right\} ,
\\
M' = \left\{ ((x_1,x_2),(y_1,y_2)) \in \mathbb{C}^{2n}\times\mathbb{C}^{2n}
: x_1^Tx_1 + x_2^Tx_2 + y_1^Ty_1 + y_2^Ty_2 = 1 \right\} .
$$

In the book these are written as
$$
M = \{ (v,w) \in \mathbb{C}^{2n}\times \mathbb{C}^{2n} : Q(v,w) = 1\},
\\
M' = \{ z \in \mathbb{C}^{4n} : z^T z = 1\} ,
$$

where $Q$ is an alternating non-degenerate quadratic form on $\mathbb{C}^{2n} \times \mathbb{C}^{2n}$, which I've put in "standard form" by picking a symplectic basis.


My guess is, $M$ and $M'$ are shown diffeomorphic by showing there is a change-of-basis on $\mathbb{C}^{4n}$ which takes the
$M$ expression to the $M'$ one.

However, I'm not sure how to find such a change-of-basis; how do I complete the argument here that $M$ and $M'$ are diffeomorphic?

Perhaps I'm missing something? Any help would be much appreciated!


Edit: as Stephen has pointed out in the comments, $(v,w) \mapsto v^Tv + w^Tw$ is not at all a bilinear form (as I'd incorrectly written earlier).

Best Answer

Isn't this just, you say that $Q$ is a symplectic form on $\mathbb{C}^{2n}$, and use that there exists a basis (sometimes called (standard) symplectic basis) in which the symplectic form has the matrix representation $$ \begin{pmatrix}0_n&-1_n\\1_n&0_n\end{pmatrix}? $$ So I don't see any problem with your argument.

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