If $H$ is a maximal toral subalgebra of $L$, then $H = H_1 \oplus … \oplus H_t,$ where $H_i = L_i \cap H$.

abstract-algebralie-algebrassemisimple-lie-algebras

Let $L$ be an arbitrary semisimple Lie algebra. Then $L$ can be written uniquely as a direct sum $$L = L_1 \oplus … \oplus L_t$$ of simple ideals (this fact I am guaranteed by a theorem). If $H$ is a maximal toral subalgebra of $L$, then $$H = H_1 \oplus … \oplus H_t,$$ where $H_i = L_i \cap H$.

Comments:
Let $x \in H$, then $x$ is semisimple. I managed to show that $x = u_1 + … + u_t$, where each $u_i \in L_i$ is semisimple. Because the $u_i \in H$?

Best Answer

If you are asking why the $u_i$ are in $H$, here is an argument:

Take another arbitrary element $y\in H$. Write $y = v_1+...+v_t$. Then because $H$ is abelian we have $[x,y] =0$, and because the $L_i$ are ideals and the decomposition is direct, this implies $[u_i,v_i] = 0$ for all $i$. But then, again because the $L_i$ are ideals and the decomposition is direct, we also have $[u_i, y] =0$. So we have shown that $u_i$ commutes with all elements in $H$, and you say you have shown it is semisimple (as element of $L_i$, but then also as element of $L$). That implies that $H+span(u_i)$ is an abelian subalgebra and consists of semisimple elements, i.e. is toral. But $H$ was maximal toral, so $u_i \in H$.

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