Math 396. Covariant Derivative, Parallel Transport, and General Relativity
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2. Chern Connections and Chern Curvatures1
1 2. Chern connections and Chern curvatures1 Let V be a complex vector space with dimC V = n. A hermitian metric h on V is h : V £ V ¡¡! C such that h(av; bu) = abh(v; u) h(a1v1 + a2v2; u) = a1h(v1; u) + a2h(v2; u) h(v; u) = h(u; v) h(u; u) > 0; u 6= 0 where v; v1; v2; u 2 V and a; b; a1; a2 2 C. If we ¯x a basis feig of V , and set hij = h(ei; ej) then ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ h = hijei ej 2 V V ¤ ¤ ¤ ¤ where ei 2 V is the dual of ei and ei 2 V is the conjugate dual of ei, i.e. X ¤ ei ( ajej) = ai It is obvious that (hij) is a hermitian positive matrix. De¯nition 0.1. A complex vector bundle E is said to be hermitian if there is a positive de¯nite hermitian tensor h on E. r Let ' : EjU ¡¡! U £ C be a trivilization and e = (e1; ¢ ¢ ¢ ; er) be the corresponding frame. The r hermitian metric h is represented by a positive hermitian matrix (hij) 2 ¡(; EndC ) such that hei(x); ej(x)i = hij(x); x 2 U Then hermitian metric on the chart (U; ') could be written as X ¤ ¤ h = hijei ej For example, there are two charts (U; ') and (V; Ã). We set g = à ± '¡1 :(U \ V ) £ Cr ¡¡! (U \ V ) £ Cr and g is represented by matrix (gij). On U \ V , we have X X X ¡1 ¡1 ¡1 ¡1 ¡1 ei(x) = ' (x; "i) = à ± à ± ' (x; "i) = à (x; gij"j) = gijà (x; "j) = gije~j(x) j j For the metric X ~ hij = hei(x); ej(x)i = hgike~k(x); gjle~l(x)i = gikhklgjl k;l that is h = g ¢ h~ ¢ g¤ 12008.04.30 If there are some errors, please contact to: [email protected] 2 Example 0.2 (Fubini-Study metric on holomorphic tangent bundle T 1;0Pn). -
HARMONIC MAPS Contents 1. Introduction 2 1.1. Notational
HARMONIC MAPS ANDREW SANDERS Contents 1. Introduction 2 1.1. Notational conventions 2 2. Calculus on vector bundles 2 3. Basic properties of harmonic maps 7 3.1. First variation formula 7 References 10 1 2 ANDREW SANDERS 1. Introduction 1.1. Notational conventions. By a smooth manifold M we mean a second- countable Hausdorff topological space with a smooth maximal atlas. We denote the tangent bundle of M by TM and the cotangent bundle of M by T ∗M: 2. Calculus on vector bundles Given a pair of manifolds M; N and a smooth map f : M ! N; it is advantageous to consider the differential df : TM ! TN as a section df 2 Ω0(M; T ∗M ⊗ f ∗TN) ' Ω1(M; f ∗TN): There is a general for- malism for studying the calculus of differential forms with values in vector bundles equipped with a connection. This formalism allows a fairly efficient, and more coordinate-free, treatment of many calculations in the theory of harmonic maps. While this approach is somewhat abstract and obfuscates the analytic content of many expressions, it takes full advantage of the algebraic symmetries available and therefore simplifies many expressions. We will develop some of this theory now and use it freely throughout the text. The following exposition will closely fol- low [Xin96]. Let M be a smooth manifold and π : E ! M a real vector bundle on M or rank r: Throughout, we denote the space of smooth sections of E by Ω0(M; E): More generally, the space of differential p-forms with values in E is given by Ωp(M; E) := Ω0(M; ΛpT ∗M ⊗ E): Definition 2.1. -
A Geodesic Connection in Fréchet Geometry
A geodesic connection in Fr´echet Geometry Ali Suri Abstract. In this paper first we propose a formula to lift a connection on M to its higher order tangent bundles T rM, r 2 N. More precisely, for a given connection r on T rM, r 2 N [ f0g, we construct the connection rc on T r+1M. Setting rci = rci−1 c, we show that rc1 = lim rci exists − and it is a connection on the Fr´echet manifold T 1M = lim T iM and the − geodesics with respect to rc1 exist. In the next step, we will consider a Riemannian manifold (M; g) with its Levi-Civita connection r. Under suitable conditions this procedure i gives a sequence of Riemannian manifolds f(T M, gi)gi2N equipped with ci c1 a sequence of Riemannian connections fr gi2N. Then we show that r produces the curves which are the (local) length minimizer of T 1M. M.S.C. 2010: 58A05, 58B20. Key words: Complete lift; spray; geodesic; Fr´echet manifolds; Banach manifold; connection. 1 Introduction In the first section we remind the bijective correspondence between linear connections and homogeneous sprays. Then using the results of [6] for complete lift of sprays, we propose a formula to lift a connection on M to its higher order tangent bundles T rM, r 2 N. More precisely, for a given connection r on T rM, r 2 N [ f0g, we construct its associated spray S and then we lift it to a homogeneous spray Sc on T r+1M [6]. Then, using the bijective correspondence between connections and sprays, we derive the connection rc on T r+1M from Sc. -
The Language of Differential Forms
Appendix A The Language of Differential Forms This appendix—with the only exception of Sect.A.4.2—does not contain any new physical notions with respect to the previous chapters, but has the purpose of deriving and rewriting some of the previous results using a different language: the language of the so-called differential (or exterior) forms. Thanks to this language we can rewrite all equations in a more compact form, where all tensor indices referred to the diffeomorphisms of the curved space–time are “hidden” inside the variables, with great formal simplifications and benefits (especially in the context of the variational computations). The matter of this appendix is not intended to provide a complete nor a rigorous introduction to this formalism: it should be regarded only as a first, intuitive and oper- ational approach to the calculus of differential forms (also called exterior calculus, or “Cartan calculus”). The main purpose is to quickly put the reader in the position of understanding, and also independently performing, various computations typical of a geometric model of gravity. The readers interested in a more rigorous discussion of differential forms are referred, for instance, to the book [22] of the bibliography. Let us finally notice that in this appendix we will follow the conventions introduced in Chap. 12, Sect. 12.1: latin letters a, b, c,...will denote Lorentz indices in the flat tangent space, Greek letters μ, ν, α,... tensor indices in the curved manifold. For the matter fields we will always use natural units = c = 1. Also, unless otherwise stated, in the first three Sects. -
FROM DIFFERENTIATION in AFFINE SPACES to CONNECTIONS Jovana -Duretic 1. Introduction Definition 1. We Say That a Real Valued
THE TEACHING OF MATHEMATICS 2015, Vol. XVIII, 2, pp. 61–80 FROM DIFFERENTIATION IN AFFINE SPACES TO CONNECTIONS Jovana Dureti´c- Abstract. Connections and covariant derivatives are usually taught as a basic concept of differential geometry, or more precisely, of differential calculus on smooth manifolds. In this article we show that the need for covariant derivatives may arise, or at lest be motivated, even in a linear situation. We show how a generalization of the notion of a derivative of a function to a derivative of a map between affine spaces naturally leads to the notion of a connection. Covariant derivative is defined in the framework of vector bundles and connections in a way which preserves standard properties of derivatives. A special attention is paid on the role played by zero–sets of a first derivative in several contexts. MathEduc Subject Classification: I 95, G 95 MSC Subject Classification: 97 I 99, 97 G 99, 53–01 Key words and phrases: Affine space; second derivative; connection; vector bun- dle. 1. Introduction Definition 1. We say that a real valued function f :(a; b) ! R is differen- tiable at a point x0 2 (a; b) ½ R if a limit f(x) ¡ f(x ) lim 0 x!x0 x ¡ x0 0 exists. We denote this limit by f (x0) and call it a derivative of a function f at a point x0. We can write this limit in a different form, as 0 f(x0 + h) ¡ f(x0) (1) f (x0) = lim : h!0 h This expression makes sense if the codomain of a function is Rn, or more general, if the codomain is a normed vector space. -
1 the Levi-Civita Connection and Its Curva- Ture
Department of Mathematics Geometry of Manifolds, 18.966 Spring 2005 Lecture Notes 1 The Levi-Civita Connection and its curva- ture In this lecture we introduce the most important connection. This is the Levi-Civita connection in the tangent bundle of a Riemannian manifold. 1.1 The Einstein summation convention and the Ricci Calculus When dealing with tensors on a manifold it is convient to use the following conventions. When we choose a local frame for the tangent bundle we write e1, . en for this basis. We always index bases of the tangent bundle with indices down. We write then a typical tangent vector n X i X = X ei. i=1 Einstein’s convention says that when we see indices both up and down we assume that we are summing over them so he would write i X = X ei while a one form would be written as i θ = aie where ei is the dual co-frame field. For example when we have coordinates x1, x2, . , xn then we get a basis for the tangent bundle ∂/∂x1, . , ∂/∂xn 1 More generally a typical tensor would be written as i l j k T = T jk ei ⊗ e ⊗ e ⊗ el Note that in general unless the tensor has some extra symmetries the order of the indices matters. The lower indices indicate that under a change of j frame fi = Ci ej a lower index changes the same way and is called covariant while an upper index changes by the inverse matrix. For example the dual i coframe field to the fi, called f is given by i i j f = D je i j i j i where D j is the inverse matrix to C i (so that D jC k = δk.) The compo- nents of the tensor T above in the fi basis are thus i l i0 l0 i j0 k0 l T jk = T j0k0 D i0 C jC kD l0 Notice that of course summing over a repeated upper and lower index results in a quantity that is independent of any choices. -
3. Introducing Riemannian Geometry
3. Introducing Riemannian Geometry We have yet to meet the star of the show. There is one object that we can place on a manifold whose importance dwarfs all others, at least when it comes to understanding gravity. This is the metric. The existence of a metric brings a whole host of new concepts to the table which, collectively, are called Riemannian geometry.Infact,strictlyspeakingwewillneeda slightly di↵erent kind of metric for our study of gravity, one which, like the Minkowski metric, has some strange minus signs. This is referred to as Lorentzian Geometry and a slightly better name for this section would be “Introducing Riemannian and Lorentzian Geometry”. However, for our immediate purposes the di↵erences are minor. The novelties of Lorentzian geometry will become more pronounced later in the course when we explore some of the physical consequences such as horizons. 3.1 The Metric In Section 1, we informally introduced the metric as a way to measure distances between points. It does, indeed, provide this service but it is not its initial purpose. Instead, the metric is an inner product on each vector space Tp(M). Definition:Ametric g is a (0, 2) tensor field that is: Symmetric: g(X, Y )=g(Y,X). • Non-Degenerate: If, for any p M, g(X, Y ) =0forallY T (M)thenX =0. • 2 p 2 p p With a choice of coordinates, we can write the metric as g = g (x) dxµ dx⌫ µ⌫ ⌦ The object g is often written as a line element ds2 and this expression is abbreviated as 2 µ ⌫ ds = gµ⌫(x) dx dx This is the form that we saw previously in (1.4). -
WHAT IS a CONNECTION, and WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? Contents 1. Introduction 2 2. the Search for a Good Directional Derivative 3 3. F
WHAT IS A CONNECTION, AND WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? TIMOTHY E. GOLDBERG Abstract. In the study of differentiable manifolds, there are several different objects that go by the name of \connection". I will describe some of these objects, and show how they are related to each other. The motivation for many notions of a connection is the search for a sufficiently nice directional derivative, and this will be my starting point as well. The story will by necessity include many supporting characters from differential geometry, all of whom will receive a brief but hopefully sufficient introduction. I apologize for my ungrammatical title. Contents 1. Introduction 2 2. The search for a good directional derivative 3 3. Fiber bundles and Ehresmann connections 7 4. A quick word about curvature 10 5. Principal bundles and principal bundle connections 11 6. Associated bundles 14 7. Vector bundles and Koszul connections 15 8. The tangent bundle 18 References 19 Date: 26 March 2008. 1 1. Introduction In the study of differentiable manifolds, there are several different objects that go by the name of \connection", and this has been confusing me for some time now. One solution to this dilemma was to promise myself that I would some day present a talk about connections in the Olivetti Club at Cornell University. That day has come, and this document contains my notes for this talk. In the interests of brevity, I do not include too many technical details, and instead refer the reader to some lovely references. My main references were [2], [4], and [5]. -
Weyl's Spin Connection
THE SPIN CONNECTION IN WEYL SPACE c William O. Straub, PhD Pasadena, California “The use of general connections means asking for trouble.” —Abraham Pais In addition to his seminal 1929 exposition on quantum mechanical gauge invariance1, Hermann Weyl demonstrated how the concept of a spinor (essentially a flat-space two-component quantity with non-tensor- like transformation properties) could be carried over to the curved space of general relativity. Prior to Weyl’s paper, spinors were recognized primarily as mathematical objects that transformed in the space of SU (2), but in 1928 Dirac showed that spinors were fundamental to the quantum mechanical description of spin—1/2 particles (electrons). However, the spacetime stage that Dirac’s spinors operated in was still Lorentzian. Because spinors are neither scalars nor vectors, at that time it was unclear how spinors behaved in curved spaces. Weyl’s paper provided a means for this description using tetrads (vierbeins) as the necessary link between Lorentzian space and curved Riemannian space. Weyl’selucidation of spinor behavior in curved space and his development of the so-called spin connection a ab ! band the associated spin vector ! = !ab was noteworthy, but his primary purpose was to demonstrate the profound connection between quantum mechanical gauge invariance and the electromagnetic field. Weyl’s 1929 paper served to complete his earlier (1918) theory2 in which Weyl attempted to derive electrodynamics from the geometrical structure of a generalized Riemannian manifold via a scale-invariant transformation of the metric tensor. This attempt failed, but the manifold he discovered (known as Weyl space), is still a subject of interest in theoretical physics. -
GEOMETRIC INTERPRETATIONS of CURVATURE Contents 1. Notation and Summation Conventions 1 2. Affine Connections 1 3. Parallel Tran
GEOMETRIC INTERPRETATIONS OF CURVATURE ZHENGQU WAN Abstract. This is an expository paper on geometric meaning of various kinds of curvature on a Riemann manifold. Contents 1. Notation and Summation Conventions 1 2. Affine Connections 1 3. Parallel Transport 3 4. Geodesics and the Exponential Map 4 5. Riemannian Curvature Tensor 5 6. Taylor Expansion of the Metric in Normal Coordinates and the Geometric Interpretation of Ricci and Scalar Curvature 9 Acknowledgments 13 References 13 1. Notation and Summation Conventions We assume knowledge of the basic theory of smooth manifolds, vector fields and tensors. We will assume all manifolds are smooth, i.e. C1, second countable and Hausdorff. All functions, curves and vector fields will also be smooth unless otherwise stated. Einstein summation convention will be adopted in this paper. In some cases, the index types on either side of an equation will not match and @ so a summation will be needed. The tangent vector field @xi induced by local i coordinates (x ) will be denoted as @i. 2. Affine Connections Riemann curvature is a measure of the noncommutativity of parallel transporta- tion of tangent vectors. To define parallel transport, we need the notion of affine connections. Definition 2.1. Let M be an n-dimensional manifold. An affine connection, or connection, is a map r : X(M) × X(M) ! X(M), where X(M) denotes the space of smooth vector fields, such that for vector fields V1;V2; V; W1;W2 2 X(M) and function f : M! R, (1) r(fV1 + V2;W ) = fr(V1;W ) + r(V2;W ), (2) r(V; aW1 + W2) = ar(V; W1) + r(V; W2), for all a 2 R. -
The Riemann Curvature Tensor
The Riemann Curvature Tensor Jennifer Cox May 6, 2019 Project Advisor: Dr. Jonathan Walters Abstract A tensor is a mathematical object that has applications in areas including physics, psychology, and artificial intelligence. The Riemann curvature tensor is a tool used to describe the curvature of n-dimensional spaces such as Riemannian manifolds in the field of differential geometry. The Riemann tensor plays an important role in the theories of general relativity and gravity as well as the curvature of spacetime. This paper will provide an overview of tensors and tensor operations. In particular, properties of the Riemann tensor will be examined. Calculations of the Riemann tensor for several two and three dimensional surfaces such as that of the sphere and torus will be demonstrated. The relationship between the Riemann tensor for the 2-sphere and 3-sphere will be studied, and it will be shown that these tensors satisfy the general equation of the Riemann tensor for an n-dimensional sphere. The connection between the Gaussian curvature and the Riemann curvature tensor will also be shown using Gauss's Theorem Egregium. Keywords: tensor, tensors, Riemann tensor, Riemann curvature tensor, curvature 1 Introduction Coordinate systems are the basis of analytic geometry and are necessary to solve geomet- ric problems using algebraic methods. The introduction of coordinate systems allowed for the blending of algebraic and geometric methods that eventually led to the development of calculus. Reliance on coordinate systems, however, can result in a loss of geometric insight and an unnecessary increase in the complexity of relevant expressions. Tensor calculus is an effective framework that will avoid the cons of relying on coordinate systems. -
Vector Bundles and Connections
VECTOR BUNDLES AND CONNECTIONS WERNER BALLMANN The exposition of vector bundles and connections below is taken from my lecture notes on differential geometry at the University of Bonn. I included more material than I usually cover in my lectures. On the other hand, I completely deleted the discussion of “concrete examples”, so that a pinch of salt has to be added by the customer. Standard references for vector bundles and connections are [GHV] and [KN], where the interested reader finds a rather comprehensive discussion of the subject. I would like to thank Andreas Balser for pointing out some misprints. The exposition is still in a preliminary state. Suggestions are very welcome. Contents 1. Vector Bundles 2 1.1. Sections 4 1.2. Frames 5 1.3. Constructions 7 1.4. Pull Back 9 1.5. The Fundamental Lemma on Morphisms 10 2. Connections 12 2.1. Local Data 13 2.2. Induced Connections 15 2.3. Pull Back 16 3. Curvature 18 3.1. Parallel Translation and Curvature 21 4. Miscellanea 26 4.1. Metrics 26 4.2. Cocycles and Bundles 27 References 28 Date: December 1999. Last corrections March 2002. 1 2 WERNERBALLMANN 1. Vector Bundles A bundle is a triple (π,E,M), where π : E → M is a map. In other words, a bundle is nothing else but a map. The term bundle is used −1 when the emphasis is on the preimages Ep := π (p) of the points p ∈ M; we call Ep the fiber of π over p and p the base point of Ep.