Isomorphism between the Clifford group and the quaternions











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How do I find an explicit isomorphism between the elements of the Clifford group and some 24 quaternions?



The easy part:
The multiplication of matrices should correspond to multiplication of quaternions.



The identity matrix $I$ should be mapped to the quaternion $1$.



The hard part:
To what should the other elements of the Clifford group be mapped? Since the following to elements generate the entire group, mapping these will be sufficient:



$$H=frac{1}{sqrt{2}}begin{bmatrix}1&1\1&-1end{bmatrix}text{ and }P=begin{bmatrix}1&0\0&iend{bmatrix}$$



Can anybody help?










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    up vote
    7
    down vote

    favorite
    3












    How do I find an explicit isomorphism between the elements of the Clifford group and some 24 quaternions?



    The easy part:
    The multiplication of matrices should correspond to multiplication of quaternions.



    The identity matrix $I$ should be mapped to the quaternion $1$.



    The hard part:
    To what should the other elements of the Clifford group be mapped? Since the following to elements generate the entire group, mapping these will be sufficient:



    $$H=frac{1}{sqrt{2}}begin{bmatrix}1&1\1&-1end{bmatrix}text{ and }P=begin{bmatrix}1&0\0&iend{bmatrix}$$



    Can anybody help?










    share|improve this question







    New contributor




    Knot Log is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
    Check out our Code of Conduct.






















      up vote
      7
      down vote

      favorite
      3









      up vote
      7
      down vote

      favorite
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      3





      How do I find an explicit isomorphism between the elements of the Clifford group and some 24 quaternions?



      The easy part:
      The multiplication of matrices should correspond to multiplication of quaternions.



      The identity matrix $I$ should be mapped to the quaternion $1$.



      The hard part:
      To what should the other elements of the Clifford group be mapped? Since the following to elements generate the entire group, mapping these will be sufficient:



      $$H=frac{1}{sqrt{2}}begin{bmatrix}1&1\1&-1end{bmatrix}text{ and }P=begin{bmatrix}1&0\0&iend{bmatrix}$$



      Can anybody help?










      share|improve this question







      New contributor




      Knot Log is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      How do I find an explicit isomorphism between the elements of the Clifford group and some 24 quaternions?



      The easy part:
      The multiplication of matrices should correspond to multiplication of quaternions.



      The identity matrix $I$ should be mapped to the quaternion $1$.



      The hard part:
      To what should the other elements of the Clifford group be mapped? Since the following to elements generate the entire group, mapping these will be sufficient:



      $$H=frac{1}{sqrt{2}}begin{bmatrix}1&1\1&-1end{bmatrix}text{ and }P=begin{bmatrix}1&0\0&iend{bmatrix}$$



      Can anybody help?







      clifford-group






      share|improve this question







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      Knot Log is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
      Check out our Code of Conduct.











      share|improve this question







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      Knot Log is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      share|improve this question




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      Knot Log is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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      Check out our Code of Conduct.






















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          accepted










          The quaternions are represented faithfully in two dimensions by the unit matrix and the Pauli matrices multiplied by the imaginary unit: $i = sqrt{-1} X$, $j = sqrt{-1} Y$ and $k = sqrt{-1} Z$ respectively, thus you only need to write $H$ and $P$ the linear combinations: $H = -frac{sqrt{-1} }{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P = frac{1+sqrt{-1}}{2}(1-k)$



          However, this is not an isomorphism between the Clifford group and the quaternions, because here we use the quaternions as an algebra not a group. What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra.



          The term Quaternion group is reserved to another subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra consisting of $pm 1$, $pm (-iX = R_x(pi))$, $pm (-iY = R_y(pi))$ and $pm (-iZ = R_z(pi))$. This group is called the quaternion group. This group can be generated by $pi$ rotations around two major axes. However, the order-8 quaternion group is not isomorphic to the order-24 Clifford group, which can be generated by $frac{pi}{2}$ rotations around two major axes. The Clifford group is in a certain sense the square root of the quaternion group.



          Clarifications



          @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points:



          1) The quaternions imaginary units should be represented as $i = sqrt{-1} X$, $j = sqrt{-1} Y$, $k = sqrt{-1} Z$, as they have to square to $-1$ (I have corrected that in the main text) .



          2) I forgot to mention that we need to work with the quaternion algebra over the complex field, i.e., we need to distinguish between the complex imaginary unit $sqrt{-1}$ and the quaternion $i$, (I hope you took care of that in your analysis – in any case I have added the explicit expressions of $H$ and $P$ to the main text. In addition, it is correct that global phases are not important when you use the elements as quantum gates, and you correctly took equivalence classes.



          However, Please see the article by Michel Planat , where in section 2.2. he mentions that the group generated by $H$ and $P$ should be of order 192, such that only when you remove a $mathbb{Z}_8$ center you reach the 24 element Clifford group (I haven't done the work myself).



          Moreover, it is possible to generate the $24$ element group directly without additional phases (Please see the lecture notes by Michel Devoret if you start with generators of unit determinant (for example, $R_x(frac{pi}{2})$ and $R_z(frac{pi}{2})$), because the Clifford group is geometric, as it is isomorphic to the octahedral group, the group of symmetries of the cube or the octahedron and all of its elements are rotations, i.e., with a unit determinant.






          share|improve this answer























          • Thank you for your clarification on the Clifford group / Clifford algebra / quaternions / quaternion group. You stated my question as "What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra." Do you have an idea of how to determine these quaternions?
            – Knot Log
            yesterday










          • Yes, for example, you can write, by inspection: $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(X+Z)$, then you can use the quaternion notation if you wish and write $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$, you can do a similar exercise and express $P$ as a linear combination of $1$ and $Z$.
            – David Bar Moshe
            yesterday










          • I think this is not correct. If I write $H=frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P=frac{1+i}{2}+frac{1-i}{2}k$, these two elements 'generate' 48 different quaternions, which does not correspond to the 24 elements of the Clifford group.
            – Knot Log
            yesterday






          • 1




            You are correct. If after obtaining these 48 quaternions, you consider equivalence classes disregarding the minus sign, then there is an isomorphism with the 24 elements of the Clifford group. Thank you!
            – Knot Log
            yesterday










          • @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points, I have added a clarification in an update.
            – David Bar Moshe
            21 hours ago











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          up vote
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          accepted










          The quaternions are represented faithfully in two dimensions by the unit matrix and the Pauli matrices multiplied by the imaginary unit: $i = sqrt{-1} X$, $j = sqrt{-1} Y$ and $k = sqrt{-1} Z$ respectively, thus you only need to write $H$ and $P$ the linear combinations: $H = -frac{sqrt{-1} }{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P = frac{1+sqrt{-1}}{2}(1-k)$



          However, this is not an isomorphism between the Clifford group and the quaternions, because here we use the quaternions as an algebra not a group. What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra.



          The term Quaternion group is reserved to another subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra consisting of $pm 1$, $pm (-iX = R_x(pi))$, $pm (-iY = R_y(pi))$ and $pm (-iZ = R_z(pi))$. This group is called the quaternion group. This group can be generated by $pi$ rotations around two major axes. However, the order-8 quaternion group is not isomorphic to the order-24 Clifford group, which can be generated by $frac{pi}{2}$ rotations around two major axes. The Clifford group is in a certain sense the square root of the quaternion group.



          Clarifications



          @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points:



          1) The quaternions imaginary units should be represented as $i = sqrt{-1} X$, $j = sqrt{-1} Y$, $k = sqrt{-1} Z$, as they have to square to $-1$ (I have corrected that in the main text) .



          2) I forgot to mention that we need to work with the quaternion algebra over the complex field, i.e., we need to distinguish between the complex imaginary unit $sqrt{-1}$ and the quaternion $i$, (I hope you took care of that in your analysis – in any case I have added the explicit expressions of $H$ and $P$ to the main text. In addition, it is correct that global phases are not important when you use the elements as quantum gates, and you correctly took equivalence classes.



          However, Please see the article by Michel Planat , where in section 2.2. he mentions that the group generated by $H$ and $P$ should be of order 192, such that only when you remove a $mathbb{Z}_8$ center you reach the 24 element Clifford group (I haven't done the work myself).



          Moreover, it is possible to generate the $24$ element group directly without additional phases (Please see the lecture notes by Michel Devoret if you start with generators of unit determinant (for example, $R_x(frac{pi}{2})$ and $R_z(frac{pi}{2})$), because the Clifford group is geometric, as it is isomorphic to the octahedral group, the group of symmetries of the cube or the octahedron and all of its elements are rotations, i.e., with a unit determinant.






          share|improve this answer























          • Thank you for your clarification on the Clifford group / Clifford algebra / quaternions / quaternion group. You stated my question as "What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra." Do you have an idea of how to determine these quaternions?
            – Knot Log
            yesterday










          • Yes, for example, you can write, by inspection: $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(X+Z)$, then you can use the quaternion notation if you wish and write $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$, you can do a similar exercise and express $P$ as a linear combination of $1$ and $Z$.
            – David Bar Moshe
            yesterday










          • I think this is not correct. If I write $H=frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P=frac{1+i}{2}+frac{1-i}{2}k$, these two elements 'generate' 48 different quaternions, which does not correspond to the 24 elements of the Clifford group.
            – Knot Log
            yesterday






          • 1




            You are correct. If after obtaining these 48 quaternions, you consider equivalence classes disregarding the minus sign, then there is an isomorphism with the 24 elements of the Clifford group. Thank you!
            – Knot Log
            yesterday










          • @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points, I have added a clarification in an update.
            – David Bar Moshe
            21 hours ago















          up vote
          6
          down vote



          accepted










          The quaternions are represented faithfully in two dimensions by the unit matrix and the Pauli matrices multiplied by the imaginary unit: $i = sqrt{-1} X$, $j = sqrt{-1} Y$ and $k = sqrt{-1} Z$ respectively, thus you only need to write $H$ and $P$ the linear combinations: $H = -frac{sqrt{-1} }{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P = frac{1+sqrt{-1}}{2}(1-k)$



          However, this is not an isomorphism between the Clifford group and the quaternions, because here we use the quaternions as an algebra not a group. What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra.



          The term Quaternion group is reserved to another subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra consisting of $pm 1$, $pm (-iX = R_x(pi))$, $pm (-iY = R_y(pi))$ and $pm (-iZ = R_z(pi))$. This group is called the quaternion group. This group can be generated by $pi$ rotations around two major axes. However, the order-8 quaternion group is not isomorphic to the order-24 Clifford group, which can be generated by $frac{pi}{2}$ rotations around two major axes. The Clifford group is in a certain sense the square root of the quaternion group.



          Clarifications



          @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points:



          1) The quaternions imaginary units should be represented as $i = sqrt{-1} X$, $j = sqrt{-1} Y$, $k = sqrt{-1} Z$, as they have to square to $-1$ (I have corrected that in the main text) .



          2) I forgot to mention that we need to work with the quaternion algebra over the complex field, i.e., we need to distinguish between the complex imaginary unit $sqrt{-1}$ and the quaternion $i$, (I hope you took care of that in your analysis – in any case I have added the explicit expressions of $H$ and $P$ to the main text. In addition, it is correct that global phases are not important when you use the elements as quantum gates, and you correctly took equivalence classes.



          However, Please see the article by Michel Planat , where in section 2.2. he mentions that the group generated by $H$ and $P$ should be of order 192, such that only when you remove a $mathbb{Z}_8$ center you reach the 24 element Clifford group (I haven't done the work myself).



          Moreover, it is possible to generate the $24$ element group directly without additional phases (Please see the lecture notes by Michel Devoret if you start with generators of unit determinant (for example, $R_x(frac{pi}{2})$ and $R_z(frac{pi}{2})$), because the Clifford group is geometric, as it is isomorphic to the octahedral group, the group of symmetries of the cube or the octahedron and all of its elements are rotations, i.e., with a unit determinant.






          share|improve this answer























          • Thank you for your clarification on the Clifford group / Clifford algebra / quaternions / quaternion group. You stated my question as "What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra." Do you have an idea of how to determine these quaternions?
            – Knot Log
            yesterday










          • Yes, for example, you can write, by inspection: $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(X+Z)$, then you can use the quaternion notation if you wish and write $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$, you can do a similar exercise and express $P$ as a linear combination of $1$ and $Z$.
            – David Bar Moshe
            yesterday










          • I think this is not correct. If I write $H=frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P=frac{1+i}{2}+frac{1-i}{2}k$, these two elements 'generate' 48 different quaternions, which does not correspond to the 24 elements of the Clifford group.
            – Knot Log
            yesterday






          • 1




            You are correct. If after obtaining these 48 quaternions, you consider equivalence classes disregarding the minus sign, then there is an isomorphism with the 24 elements of the Clifford group. Thank you!
            – Knot Log
            yesterday










          • @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points, I have added a clarification in an update.
            – David Bar Moshe
            21 hours ago













          up vote
          6
          down vote



          accepted







          up vote
          6
          down vote



          accepted






          The quaternions are represented faithfully in two dimensions by the unit matrix and the Pauli matrices multiplied by the imaginary unit: $i = sqrt{-1} X$, $j = sqrt{-1} Y$ and $k = sqrt{-1} Z$ respectively, thus you only need to write $H$ and $P$ the linear combinations: $H = -frac{sqrt{-1} }{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P = frac{1+sqrt{-1}}{2}(1-k)$



          However, this is not an isomorphism between the Clifford group and the quaternions, because here we use the quaternions as an algebra not a group. What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra.



          The term Quaternion group is reserved to another subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra consisting of $pm 1$, $pm (-iX = R_x(pi))$, $pm (-iY = R_y(pi))$ and $pm (-iZ = R_z(pi))$. This group is called the quaternion group. This group can be generated by $pi$ rotations around two major axes. However, the order-8 quaternion group is not isomorphic to the order-24 Clifford group, which can be generated by $frac{pi}{2}$ rotations around two major axes. The Clifford group is in a certain sense the square root of the quaternion group.



          Clarifications



          @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points:



          1) The quaternions imaginary units should be represented as $i = sqrt{-1} X$, $j = sqrt{-1} Y$, $k = sqrt{-1} Z$, as they have to square to $-1$ (I have corrected that in the main text) .



          2) I forgot to mention that we need to work with the quaternion algebra over the complex field, i.e., we need to distinguish between the complex imaginary unit $sqrt{-1}$ and the quaternion $i$, (I hope you took care of that in your analysis – in any case I have added the explicit expressions of $H$ and $P$ to the main text. In addition, it is correct that global phases are not important when you use the elements as quantum gates, and you correctly took equivalence classes.



          However, Please see the article by Michel Planat , where in section 2.2. he mentions that the group generated by $H$ and $P$ should be of order 192, such that only when you remove a $mathbb{Z}_8$ center you reach the 24 element Clifford group (I haven't done the work myself).



          Moreover, it is possible to generate the $24$ element group directly without additional phases (Please see the lecture notes by Michel Devoret if you start with generators of unit determinant (for example, $R_x(frac{pi}{2})$ and $R_z(frac{pi}{2})$), because the Clifford group is geometric, as it is isomorphic to the octahedral group, the group of symmetries of the cube or the octahedron and all of its elements are rotations, i.e., with a unit determinant.






          share|improve this answer














          The quaternions are represented faithfully in two dimensions by the unit matrix and the Pauli matrices multiplied by the imaginary unit: $i = sqrt{-1} X$, $j = sqrt{-1} Y$ and $k = sqrt{-1} Z$ respectively, thus you only need to write $H$ and $P$ the linear combinations: $H = -frac{sqrt{-1} }{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P = frac{1+sqrt{-1}}{2}(1-k)$



          However, this is not an isomorphism between the Clifford group and the quaternions, because here we use the quaternions as an algebra not a group. What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra.



          The term Quaternion group is reserved to another subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra consisting of $pm 1$, $pm (-iX = R_x(pi))$, $pm (-iY = R_y(pi))$ and $pm (-iZ = R_z(pi))$. This group is called the quaternion group. This group can be generated by $pi$ rotations around two major axes. However, the order-8 quaternion group is not isomorphic to the order-24 Clifford group, which can be generated by $frac{pi}{2}$ rotations around two major axes. The Clifford group is in a certain sense the square root of the quaternion group.



          Clarifications



          @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points:



          1) The quaternions imaginary units should be represented as $i = sqrt{-1} X$, $j = sqrt{-1} Y$, $k = sqrt{-1} Z$, as they have to square to $-1$ (I have corrected that in the main text) .



          2) I forgot to mention that we need to work with the quaternion algebra over the complex field, i.e., we need to distinguish between the complex imaginary unit $sqrt{-1}$ and the quaternion $i$, (I hope you took care of that in your analysis – in any case I have added the explicit expressions of $H$ and $P$ to the main text. In addition, it is correct that global phases are not important when you use the elements as quantum gates, and you correctly took equivalence classes.



          However, Please see the article by Michel Planat , where in section 2.2. he mentions that the group generated by $H$ and $P$ should be of order 192, such that only when you remove a $mathbb{Z}_8$ center you reach the 24 element Clifford group (I haven't done the work myself).



          Moreover, it is possible to generate the $24$ element group directly without additional phases (Please see the lecture notes by Michel Devoret if you start with generators of unit determinant (for example, $R_x(frac{pi}{2})$ and $R_z(frac{pi}{2})$), because the Clifford group is geometric, as it is isomorphic to the octahedral group, the group of symmetries of the cube or the octahedron and all of its elements are rotations, i.e., with a unit determinant.







          share|improve this answer














          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer








          edited 18 hours ago









          Carucel

          1154




          1154










          answered yesterday









          David Bar Moshe

          9647




          9647












          • Thank you for your clarification on the Clifford group / Clifford algebra / quaternions / quaternion group. You stated my question as "What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra." Do you have an idea of how to determine these quaternions?
            – Knot Log
            yesterday










          • Yes, for example, you can write, by inspection: $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(X+Z)$, then you can use the quaternion notation if you wish and write $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$, you can do a similar exercise and express $P$ as a linear combination of $1$ and $Z$.
            – David Bar Moshe
            yesterday










          • I think this is not correct. If I write $H=frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P=frac{1+i}{2}+frac{1-i}{2}k$, these two elements 'generate' 48 different quaternions, which does not correspond to the 24 elements of the Clifford group.
            – Knot Log
            yesterday






          • 1




            You are correct. If after obtaining these 48 quaternions, you consider equivalence classes disregarding the minus sign, then there is an isomorphism with the 24 elements of the Clifford group. Thank you!
            – Knot Log
            yesterday










          • @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points, I have added a clarification in an update.
            – David Bar Moshe
            21 hours ago


















          • Thank you for your clarification on the Clifford group / Clifford algebra / quaternions / quaternion group. You stated my question as "What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra." Do you have an idea of how to determine these quaternions?
            – Knot Log
            yesterday










          • Yes, for example, you can write, by inspection: $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(X+Z)$, then you can use the quaternion notation if you wish and write $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$, you can do a similar exercise and express $P$ as a linear combination of $1$ and $Z$.
            – David Bar Moshe
            yesterday










          • I think this is not correct. If I write $H=frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P=frac{1+i}{2}+frac{1-i}{2}k$, these two elements 'generate' 48 different quaternions, which does not correspond to the 24 elements of the Clifford group.
            – Knot Log
            yesterday






          • 1




            You are correct. If after obtaining these 48 quaternions, you consider equivalence classes disregarding the minus sign, then there is an isomorphism with the 24 elements of the Clifford group. Thank you!
            – Knot Log
            yesterday










          • @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points, I have added a clarification in an update.
            – David Bar Moshe
            21 hours ago
















          Thank you for your clarification on the Clifford group / Clifford algebra / quaternions / quaternion group. You stated my question as "What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra." Do you have an idea of how to determine these quaternions?
          – Knot Log
          yesterday




          Thank you for your clarification on the Clifford group / Clifford algebra / quaternions / quaternion group. You stated my question as "What can be said that the Clifford group is isomorphic to a subgroup of invertible elements of the quaternion algebra." Do you have an idea of how to determine these quaternions?
          – Knot Log
          yesterday












          Yes, for example, you can write, by inspection: $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(X+Z)$, then you can use the quaternion notation if you wish and write $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$, you can do a similar exercise and express $P$ as a linear combination of $1$ and $Z$.
          – David Bar Moshe
          yesterday




          Yes, for example, you can write, by inspection: $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(X+Z)$, then you can use the quaternion notation if you wish and write $H = frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$, you can do a similar exercise and express $P$ as a linear combination of $1$ and $Z$.
          – David Bar Moshe
          yesterday












          I think this is not correct. If I write $H=frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P=frac{1+i}{2}+frac{1-i}{2}k$, these two elements 'generate' 48 different quaternions, which does not correspond to the 24 elements of the Clifford group.
          – Knot Log
          yesterday




          I think this is not correct. If I write $H=frac{1}{sqrt{2}}(i+k)$ and $P=frac{1+i}{2}+frac{1-i}{2}k$, these two elements 'generate' 48 different quaternions, which does not correspond to the 24 elements of the Clifford group.
          – Knot Log
          yesterday




          1




          1




          You are correct. If after obtaining these 48 quaternions, you consider equivalence classes disregarding the minus sign, then there is an isomorphism with the 24 elements of the Clifford group. Thank you!
          – Knot Log
          yesterday




          You are correct. If after obtaining these 48 quaternions, you consider equivalence classes disregarding the minus sign, then there is an isomorphism with the 24 elements of the Clifford group. Thank you!
          – Knot Log
          yesterday












          @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points, I have added a clarification in an update.
          – David Bar Moshe
          21 hours ago




          @Knot Log, Sorry I have misled you on two points, I have added a clarification in an update.
          – David Bar Moshe
          21 hours ago










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