Let GG be a with Lie algebra g\mathfrak g.

Fix X∈gX\in\mathfrak g, and let XLX^L be the corresponding on GG (obtained by translating X∈TeGX\in T_eG via ).

  1. The integral curve of XLX^L starting at the identity is the one-parameter subgroup
    t⟼exp⁡(tX),t\longmapsto \exp(tX),

where exp⁡\exp is the . In particular, exp⁡(tX)\exp(tX) solves the ODE g′(t)=(XL)g(t)g'(t)=(X^L)_{g(t)} with g(0)=eg(0)=e.

  1. More generally, the integral curve of XLX^L starting at g0∈Gg_0\in G is
    t⟼g0 exp⁡(tX).t\longmapsto g_0\,\exp(tX).

There is an analogous statement for the XRX^R, whose integral curves are t↦exp⁡(tX) g0t\mapsto \exp(tX)\,g_0.

Remarks

This viewpoint explains why the bracket on g\mathfrak g can be recovered from commutators of flows: the Lie bracket is the infinitesimal failure of invariant flows to commute (compare and the structure encoded by the ).