Questions tagged [riemannian-geometry]

For questions about Riemann geometry, which is a branch of differential geometry dealing with Riemannian manifolds.

Introduction

Metaphorically, Riemannian geometry is what happens when we try to generalize the Pythagorean theorem to work on smooth manifolds in general, but accidently drop the Pythagorean theorem in a blender along the way.

Definition 1.1a: (Riemannian Metric) Suppose $M$ is a smooth manifold. A Riemannian metric on $M$ is a section $\mathrm{g}\in\Gamma(T^\vee\hspace{-.25em}M\otimes T^\vee\hspace{-.25em}M)$ such that, for each $p\in M$ and all $X_p,Y_p\in T_pM$,

  • $\mathrm{g}_p(X_p\otimes Y_p)=\mathrm{g}_p(Y_p\otimes X_p)$,

  • $\mathrm{g}_p(X_p\otimes X_p)\geq0$, with equality if and only if $X_p=0$.

Note that many mathematicians use the following equivalent definition.

Definition 1.1b: (Riemannian Metric) Suppose $M$ is a smooth manifold. A Riemannian metric is a smooth function $\mathrm{g}:TM\times_MTM\to\mathbb{R}$, where $TM\times_MTM$ is the fiber product, such that, for each $p\in M$, all $X_p,Y_p,Z_p\in T_pM$, and all $a,b\in\mathbb{R}$,

  • $\mathrm{g}(aX_p+bY_p,Z_p)=a\mathrm{g}(X_p,Z_p)+b\mathrm{g}(Y_p,Z_p)$,
  • $\mathrm{g}(X_p,Y_p)=\mathrm{g}(Y_p,X_p)$,
  • $\mathrm{g}(X_p,X_p)\geq0$, with equality if and only if $X_p=0$.

Regardless of the particulars of the definition, a Riemannian metric is essentially a smooth choice of inner product on each tangent space. Making a choice of Riemannian metric gives us a Riemannian manifold.

Definition 1.2: (Riemannian Manifold) A Riemannian manifold is a pair $(M,\mathrm{g})$, where $M$ is a smooth manifold and $\mathrm{g}$ is a Riemannian metric.

There is a plethora of examples of Riemannian manifolds that appear all over geometry.

Example 1.3: (Euclidean Space) Let $x$ be the (global) identity chart on $\mathbb{R}^n$. A Euclidean space is a Riemannian manifold of the form $$\left(\mathbb{R}^n,\sum_{i=1}^n\mathrm{d}x^i\otimes\mathrm{d}x^i\right).$$ Usually, we identify $n$-dimensional Euclidean space with $\mathbb{R}^n$.

Example 1.4: (Hyperbolic Plane) Let $(x,y)$ be the (global) identity chart on the upper half plane. Then, the hyperbolic plane is the Riemannian manifold $$H^2=\left(\mathbb{R}\times\mathbb{R}_+,\frac{1}{y^2}\left(\mathrm{d}x\otimes\mathrm{d}x+\mathrm{d}y\otimes\mathrm{d}y\right)\right).$$

This tag is for questions about Riemann geometry, which is a branch of differential geometry dealing with Riemannian manifolds. Usually, Riemannian geometry focuses on the notions of distance, curvature, and shape. Consider using this tag if your question involves Riemannian manifolds or objects generally associated with them, such as Levi-Civita connections.

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Closed geodesic loop on compact manifold

Let $M$ be a compact manifold (hence complete). Let $p$ be any point on $M$. Is it true that we can always find a geodesic loop based at $p$? If $M$ is non-simply connected it is true as each homotopy class can be represented by geodesic loop. But…
Bingo
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Product of Riemannian manifold and product metric

according to wikipedia the product metric between 2 metrics is the metric given by: $d(x,y)=\sqrt{d_1(x_1,y_1)^2+d_2(x_2,y_2)^2}$ Now if $(M,g_m)$ and $(N,g_n)$ are 2 Riemannian manifolds we can construct the product $M\times N$ equipped with the…
Chevallier
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Of the three tensors, Riemann Tensor, Ricci Tensor, and Ricci Scalar, which ones are only zero in a flat metric?

I think that the Riemann tensor is zero only in the presence of a flat metric. However, the Ricci Tensor and the Ricci Scalar, are unknown to me, whether they are zero only in the presence of a flat metric. Of the three tensors, Riemann Tensor,…
linuxfreebird
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Question on Torsion free condition for Levi-Civita connection

I was watching a video on Riemannian Geometry. The lecturer mentions that given the defining condition for a connection on a Riemannian manifold $M$ i.e. : $$\nabla_X(Y) : \chi(M) \times \chi(M) \to \chi(M),$$ where $\chi(M)$ is the set of…
Vishesh
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What is the meaning of the symbol $\nabla^k$?

In T.Aubin's book, a course in differential geometry, he write the formula $\Delta f=-\nabla^k\nabla_kf$ on a Riemannian manifold, but he never define the symbol $\nabla^k$. It seems that the notation is not the kth covariant derivative. So my…
MiGang
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Is a connected compact Riemannian manifold of dimension 1 unique?

The tiles says almost everything. It is known that a connected compact topological manifold of dimension 1 is isomorphic to $S^1$. What if we replace "topological" by "riemannian"?
Zhang
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is there any relationship between the convexity radii of two "near" points in a riemannian manifold?

For example, if the convexity radius of a point x in a riemannian manifold M (without boundary) is R, what can we say about the convexity radius of points in B_R(x)? The convexity radius of x is the sup of R s.t. B_R(x) is convex, and is always…
fritz
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About Whitney Theorem

Note that $M$ of dimension $n$ can be imbedded differentiably as a closed submanifold of ${\bf R}^{N=2n+1}$. Here Let $f$ be an imbedding. $f$ is one-to-one immersion, that is, rank $n$, which is homeomorphic. Question : Here I have a question :…
HK Lee
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Differential Geometry Notation

When we have a metric on a manifold, there is a natural isomorphism between the tangent space and the cotangent space, and so, if I understand correctly, it is not so important to keep track of which indices are up and which are down since you…
PPR
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Harmonic function on Riemannian manifold

$M$ is a connected Riemannian manifold with $\Delta$ its Laplacian and $f$ is smooth function on $M$ such that $\Delta f=0$ and $f$ vanishes on some open set $U$ of $M$, then is $f$ identically $0$ on $M$?
Summer
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The choice of the eigenfunction of Laplacian

$M$ is a closed Riemannian manifold and $\lambda_1>0$ is the first nontrivial eigenvalue of $\Delta$. Can we find a eigenfunction $f$ of $\lambda_1$ such that $\mathop {\sup }\limits_M f - \mathop {\inf }\limits_M f = 2$ and $\mathop {\inf…
Summer
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Figuring of locally product Riemannian metric.

If $S^1\times M$ where $M$ is a simply connected compact manifold has a metric $g$ with nonnegative sectional curvature, then its universal cover ${\bf R}\times M$ has a product metric by splitting theorem, which clearly has nonnegative sectional…
HK Lee
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Question from Peter Petersen

I'm trying do a exercise from Peter Petersen's book, but I don't know what do. Well, assume that $$R=\frac{scal}{2n(n-1)}g\circ g+\left(Ric-\frac{scal}{n}g\right)\circ g+W$$ Where, R is the Riemannian curvature tensor, scal is the scalar…
DiegoMath
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Diagonalization of Curvature Operator of $P^n({\bf C})$

Consider $P^n({\bf C})$ which is a quotient of $(S^{2n+1}, {\rm can})$. If $ \{e_1, ... , e_n, Je_1, ... , Je_n\}$ is a basis on $T_xP^n({\bf C})$ where $J$ is an almost complex structure, then $$K(e_1,e_2)=1,\ K(e_1,Je_1)=4$$ where $K(x,y)={\rm…
HK Lee
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Euler Characteristic in dimension four

My doubt is simple: How can I prove that in dimension 4, the Euler Characteristic of a Riemannian Manifold is given by $$\chi(M^4)=\frac{1}{8\pi^2}\int\limits_{M^4}\left(|W|^2+\frac{R^2}{24}-\frac{1}{2}|\stackrel{\circ}{Ric}|^2\right)\,d\mu$$ I…
DiegoMath
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