The decomposition of a Lie group with a left invariant pseudo-Riemannian metric and the uniqueness

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss the decomposition of a Lie group with a left invariant pseudo-Riemannian metric and the uniqueness. The decomposition is defined by non-degenerate strong ideals of the Levi-Civita connection. Its factors are totally geodesic normal subgroups on the simply connected covering group. We explain its relation with the de Rham--Wu decomposition and with the usual decompositions of Lie algebras by explicit examples, including a non-flat Riemannian product which is indecomposable in the present sense. We also describe the possible mixed metric terms between strong factors. As applications, we obtain the factorwise reduction of the Einstein equation and of the geodesic equation. In particular, the strong factors are unique up to their order when the Ricci tensor is non-degenerate, and geodesic completeness reduces to completeness of the factors even when the strong decomposition is not orthogonal.