Coefficients of the Lie brackets of a set of vector fields

(see also about solvable algebras and solvable structures)

Let M be a manifold and X1,,Xr vector fields on M. The condition

(1)[Xi,Xj]=fijkXk,

where fijk are functions, implies that the distribution S({X1,,Xr}) generated by them is involutive. Frobenius theorem says that there exist integral manifolds.

But there is a more restricted condition, constant coefficients:

(2)[Xi,Xj]=cijkXk

where cijkR. This means that they constitute a finite dimensional Lie subalgebra of X(M) (with (1) they constitute a possibly infinite dimensional one). In this case there exists a finite dimensional Lie group G acting on M such that the integral manifolds of the distribution S({X1,,Xr}) are the orbits of G!!!

And even more, if every

[Xi,Xj]=0

then the group is isomorphic to the translations Rr.