Let GG be a and let H⊆GH\subseteq G be a with inclusion map ι:H↪G\iota:H\hookrightarrow G.

Lemma

The differential at the identity

(dι)e:Lie⁡(H)→Lie⁡(G)(d\iota)_e : \operatorname{Lie}(H)\to \operatorname{Lie}(G)

is injective, and its image identifies Lie⁡(H)\operatorname{Lie}(H) with the subspace TeH⊆TeGT_eH\subseteq T_eG. Under this identification, Lie⁡(H)\operatorname{Lie}(H) is a of Lie⁡(G)\operatorname{Lie}(G).

Equivalently: the Lie algebra of a Lie subgroup is its tangent space at the identity, with the bracket inherited from Lie⁡(G)\operatorname{Lie}(G).

Remarks

When HH is a closed subgroup, guarantees that HH is an embedded Lie subgroup, so TeHT_eH is literally a subspace of TeGT_eG in the usual embedded-submanifold sense. In that case, this lemma is the key step behind the subgroup–subalgebra bridge used in the .