rt.representation theory - Decomposing a tensor product

For $SO(n)$ a calculation using LiE gives:
(using partition notation so $W$ is [2])
and assuming $n$ is not small

For $Wotimes W$, [4],[3,1],[2,2],[2],[1,1],[]
(all with multiplicity one)

and for $Wotimes Wotimes W$,
1.[6] 2.[5,1] 3.[4,2] 1.[3,3] 1.[4,1,1] 2.[3,2,1] 1.[2,2,2] 3.[4] 6.[3,1] 2.[2,2] 3.[2,1,1] 6.[2] 3.[1,1] 1.[]

The same works for $Sp(n)$ by taking conjugate partitions.

There is also a relationship with $SL(n)$.

This is taking your question at face value. If it is understanding you're after instead then the best approach is to use crystal graphs.

The notation I have used denotes a representation by a partition. I have put $m.$ in front to denote multiplicity is $m$. A partition is $[a_1,a_2,a_3,...]$ where $a_ige a_j$ if $i$ less than $j$. To convert to a highest weight vector add the appropriate number of $0$s to the end.
Then take $[a_1-a_2,a_2-a_3,a_3-a_4,...]$. This gives a dominant integral weight. The fundamental weights are the partitions $[1,,,,1]$. If this has length $k$ this corresponds to the $k$-th exterior power of the vector representation (provided $2k-1$ less than $n$).

In particular the trivial representation is $[]$, the vector representation $V$ is $[1]$, the exterior square of $V$ is $[1,1]$, the symmetric square is $[2]+[]$.

For the $k$-th tensor power of $W$ you will see partitions of $2k-2p$ for $0le ple k$ only and it remains to determine the multiplicities (possibly $0$). For $SL(n)$ just take the partitions of $2k$ (with their multiplicities) and ignore the rest.

• Next at.algebraic topology - Maps inducing zero on homotopy groups but are not null-homotopic
• Previous ag.algebraic geometry - Why do flag manifolds, in the P(V_rho) embedding, look like products of P^1s?