Small semisimple subalgebras of semisimple Lie algebras

Abstract

The main goal of this paper is to prove the following theorem: Let $\frak k$ be an $\frak {sl}_2$-subalgebra of a semisimple Lie algebra $\frak g$, none of whose simple factors is of type $A1$. Then there exists a positive integer $b(\frak k, \frak g)$, such that for every irreducible finite dimensional $\frak g$-module $V$, there exists an injection of $\frak k$-modules $W \to V$, where $W$ is an irreducible $\frak k$-module of dimension less than $b(\frak k, \frak g)$. This result was announced in math.RT/0310140.