Take the tour ×  Apart from images of representations of
subgroups of SU(2), what are the Lie subgroups of SU(3)? Where
should I look for a reference?  share|improve this question Here
"Lie subgroup" just amounts to "closed subgroup", which can be
connected or not. The closed connected groups can have
dimensions up to the total dimension 8, but to enumerate them
you should start with some knowledge of standard structure
theory as developed in those textbooks on Lie groups which
emphasize compact groups. One example is the Springer graduate
text by Brocker and tom Dieck, but there are other approaches
depending on your background and interests. For instance, J.F.
Adams wrote nice lecture notes from a topological viewpoint. – 
Jim Humphreys May 20 '11 at 11:25 Why the algebraic topology
tag? –  José Figueroa-O'Farrill May 20 '11 at 11:28 Jim: is it
clear that Lie subgroup means closed subgroup? There are
perfectly nice Lie groups inside SU(3) which are not closed,
such as the irrational-slope one-parameter subg