A classification of subsystems of a root system

Abstract

We classify isomorphic classes of the homomorphisms of a root system $Ξ$ to a root system $Σ$ which do not change Cartan integers. We examine several types of isomorphic classes defined by the Weyl group of $Σ$, that of $Ξ$ and the automorphisms of $Σ$ or $Ξ$ etc. We also distinguish the subsystem generated by a subset of a fundamental system. We introduce the concept of the dual pair for root systems which helps to study the action of the outer automorphism of $Ξ$ on the homomorphisms.