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.

7915 questions
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Does a proper nash embedding exist?

I have thoroughly examined all available references. While these sources mention that a complete manifold can be isometrically embedded in a Euclidean space, they do not explicitly address the existence of a properly isometric embedding. I am eager…
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General formula to calculate the divergence of an operator

Le $M$ be a Riemannnian manifold. Is possible to express the divergence of an $(1,1)$ tensor $T$, i. e., an operator by a general formula as happen for the Ricci tensor where we have the well known second contracted Bianchi identity ${\rm…
Myself
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Well-definedness of $\exp_\tilde p \circ i\circ \exp_p^{-1}:S^n-\{q\}\rightarrow \tilde M$

I am reading the 4.1 Theorem of do Carmo's Riemannian Geometry (as pictures below). The well-definedness of red line is not obvious for me. In fact, I can accept that $\exp_p^{-1}$ map $S^n-\{q\}$ to $B(0,\pi)\subset T_pM$, where $B(0,\pi)$ is open…
Enhao Lan
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Riemann curvature tensor under covariant derivatives equal to Lie brackets

I'm working on the following question: Suppose we are given an orthonormal set of vector fields $\lbrace X_1, X_2,\ldots, X_n\rbrace$ on an $n$-dimensional Riemannian manifold $(M, g)$. Suppose further that $$ \nabla_{X_i}X_j =…
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Theorem 1.1 in Bishop Goldberg paper on Gauss-Bonnet theorem in dim 4

In Bishop, R. L.; Goldberg, S. I., Some implications of the generalized Gauss-Bonnet theorem, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 112, 508-535 (1964). ZBL0133.15101. on page 513 it is stated In both Theorems 1.1 and 1.2, it is clear from the proof that $\chi(M)…
Luigi
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Exercise 3.7 Geodesic Frame in Riemannian Geometry (Do Carmo)

Exercise 3.7 Geodesic Frame The above picture is the exercise and proof on geodesic frame from Do Carmo (Chapter 3, Exercise 7, P83). I have two questions about this exercise. Why is $E_i$ smooth on $U$. In the proof, we only have the smoothness of…
gsoldier
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Is a Ricci flat metric on $\mathbb {R}^n$ flat?

We know that any Ricci flat metric on $T^n$ must be flat by Cheeger-Gromoll splitting theorem. I am curious whether it is true for $\mathbb R^n$. I feel like I may miss something and there should be a simple answer.
Y.Guo
  • 754
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closed geodesics must intersect in a positive curvature 2-dim manifold

Let $M$ be a 2-dimensional Riemannian manifold of positive curvature and $A, B$ two closed geodesics. Show that $A$ and $B$ must intersect. I know that this is a Frankel-Hadamard type of proof and I also looked at this post here. But I don't know…
user1032459
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do Carmo's proof of the Morse Index Theorem for geodesics: why is $I_t$ continuous in $t$?

I'm trying to understand the proof of the Morse Index Theorem for geodesics given in do Carmo's book on Riemannian Geometry, specifically the following excerpt from Chapter 11, page 246: It's the final sentence that I can't quite figure out. Here's…
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How to take a normal coordinate to make the second fundamental form diagonal?

I'm reading Escobar's The Yamabe Problem On Manifolds With Boundary. He says Let $(y_{1},\cdots,y_{n})$ be normal coordinates around $0\in \partial M$,such that $\eta(0)=-\frac{\partial}{\partial y_{n}}$,and second fundamental form of $\partial M$…
Tree23
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Scalar curvature is linear in the second derivatives of $g$

I'm reading Gromov's article "Four lectures on scalar curvature". On the page 6, he claims that the map $g\mapsto Sc(g)$ is linear in the second derivatives of $g$. I don't know the exact meaning of such statement. Here is my comprehension:In local…
Hdd
  • 65
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Deriving Killing equation from Isometry

In Nakaharas book (Geometry, Topology, Physics) he states the isometry condition and then derives the Killing equation ("by a simple calculation") on page 279: $$\begin{equation}\frac{\partial(x^\kappa+\epsilon X^\kappa)}{\partial…
blablu
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When does a Riemannian manifold admit conformally flat coordinates with a Killing coordinate?

I have found the upper half-space coordinates on hyperbolic space $\mathbb H^d$ highly technically convenient. In these coordinates the metric takes the form $$g = f(x)((dx^1)^2 + \cdots + (dx^{d - 1})^2 + dy^2).$$ So the metric is a rescaling of…
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Differential of parallel transport

$(M,g)$ is a complete Riemannian manifold. $\gamma:[0,+\infty)\rightarrow M$ is geodesic. And $$ P_t: T_{\gamma(0)}M \rightarrow T_{\gamma(t)} M $$ is parallel transport along $\gamma$ from $\gamma(0)$ to $\gamma (t)$. And $v(t)\subset…
Enhao Lan
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smooth quandle transitive

Let $G$ be a commutative Lie group and let $T \in \operatorname{Aut}(G)$ be an automorphism of the Lie group. We put $x * y=T x+(1-T) y$ for $x, y \in G$, and then $(G, T)$ is a smooth quandle. We call $(G, T)$ an Alexander quandle and denote it by…