Definition (Lie groups)
Let G be a Lie group and let πV:G→GL(V) and πW:G→GL(W) be representations of G. The tensor product representation is
πV⊗W(g)=πV(g)⊗πW(g)∈GL(V⊗W),
defined by (πV(g)⊗πW(g))(v⊗w)=πV(g)v⊗πW(g)w and extended linearly.
Definition (Lie algebras)
Let g be a Lie algebra and let ρV:g→gl(V) and ρW:g→gl(W) be representations of mathfrakg. The tensor product representation ρV⊗W:g→gl(V⊗W) is given by
ρV⊗W(X)=ρV(X)⊗IdW+IdV⊗ρW(X),
i.e.
X⋅(v⊗w)=(X⋅v)⊗w+v⊗(X⋅w).
A direct computation using the commutator bracket on gl(V⊗W) shows ρV⊗W is a Lie algebra homomorphism.
Weight behavior (motivation)
If g is semisimple and h is a Cartan subalgebra, then tensor products interact cleanly with the weight space decomposition: if v∈Vλ and w∈Wμ, then
v⊗w∈(V⊗W)λ+μ.
Thus the set of weights of V⊗W is contained in the Minkowski sum of the weight sets of V and W. This is one of the basic mechanisms behind Clebsch–Gordan type decompositions and highest-weight calculations (compare highest-weight representations).