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1. The trace of an order [11] tensor Q is defined as the summation of its diagonal elements. 2. Q can be decomposed into a trace tensor W and a traceless tensor L such that Q = W + L. 3. A transformation that conserves the trace will map the traceless tensor L to another traceless tensor and the trace tensor W to another trace tensor with the same trace.

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Jaco Greeff
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58 views1 page

235

1. The trace of an order [11] tensor Q is defined as the summation of its diagonal elements. 2. Q can be decomposed into a trace tensor W and a traceless tensor L such that Q = W + L. 3. A transformation that conserves the trace will map the traceless tensor L to another traceless tensor and the trace tensor W to another trace tensor with the same trace.

Uploaded by

Jaco Greeff
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Exercise 13.

42
Trace of a tensor Q of order [11] is
i
trace Q=t=Qi
where summation convention is applied.
Lets define, for a n-dimensional vector space

a t a a a t a
W b = b Lb =Qb −  b
n n

where W is the part “with trace” (with dimension 1, depending by jut one number t) and L the part
“traceless” (with dimension n2-1). It is then obviously

Qab =W ab Lab
and

t t
trace W = trace  I =  jj=t=trace Q
n n
trace  L=traceQ−traceW =0

The transformation formula demonstrated in exercise 13.39 becomes, for [11] tensors,
 ab =Qcd T ac S db
Q
But this transformation conserves trace:

 ab =Q
trace  Q  aa=Q cd T ac S da =Q cd  dc =Q cc=traceQ cd 

where T-1S=I has been used. Therefore the “traceless” tensor is transformed to a “traceless” tensor.
Moreover, it transforms a tensor “with trace” into a tensor with not only the same trace but also of
same type:

 ab =W cd T ac S db = t cd T ac S db = t T ad S bd = t  ab
W
n n n
Hence the decoupling of Q in a “traceless” tensor and in a tensor “with trace” is conserved by
transformation.
Now we can repeat the same reasoning made in the book for symmetric and antisymmetric tensors,
decoupling space V into Vw and VL, each of them being a representation of V; choosing a base
making this decoupling explicit, e.g. having first n2-1 elements in VL and last one in Vw , the
representation becomes a block matrix as in the one in the book, with A having size (n2-1)x(n2-1)
and B size 1x1, i.e. just one number.
The latter fact may look strange: does it mean that any group has a 1-dimensional representation?
I explained to me as follows: the B matrix 1x1 is necessary [1], because the trace is left unchanged.
So this representation of the group has just one element; it really the simplest possible group,
containing only unity. I think it is an extreme example of unfaithful representation, were all
elements of the original group correspond to the unit.

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