On Cartan subalgebras of Lie algebras (Q2529819)

This paper is an investigation of the existence and conjugacy of Cartan subalgebras of Lie algebras. By investigating Engel subalgebras, i.e. Fitting null components of an algebra relative to its inner derivations, it is established that any Lie algebra of dimension \(n\) over a field of at least \(n-1\) elements has a Cartan subalgebra. It is also shown that every solvable Lie algebra has a Cartan subalgebra. [Cf. also \textit{G. B. Seligman}, Modular Lie algebras. Berlin etc.: Springer Verlag (1967; Zbl 0189.03201), p. 118.] A study is made of the conjugacy of Cartan subalgebras of solvable Lie algebras and also of real Lie algebras. All Cartan subalgebras of a solvable Lie algebra are shown to be conjugate (under inner automorphisms) provided only that the derived algebra \(L'\) satisfies the \((p-1)\)-st Engel condition if the base field has characteristic \(p\ne 0\). Finally, the question of conjugacy of Cartan subalgebras of an arbitrary real Lie algebra is reduced to that of semisimple real Lie algebras, a question previously answered by \textit{B. Kostant} [Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 41, 967--970 (1955; Zbl 0065.26901)].