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How SU(2) double-covers SO(3)
Student-Run Research Seminar| Speaker: | Yvonne Lai, UC Davis |
| Location: | 693 Kerr |
| Start time: | Wed, Mar 3 2004, 12:10PM |
You may know that SU(2) is homeomorphic to a 3-sphere and SO(3) is homeomorphic to real projective 3-space. You may also know from topology that the 3-sphere is the double cover of RP^3. But you might not know (or perhaps do know and want to see again—who wouldn't?) the group theoretic proof that SU(2) covers SO(3). This proof is the subject of the talk.
Knowledge of group theory, the definition of a covering space, and the definition of a Lie group will be assumed.