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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Does every Hadamard manifold admit rotational symmetries

Assume that $M$ is a Hadamard manifold, i.e., $M$ is a Riemannian manifold such that for any point $x\in M$, the map $$ \exp_x: T_x(M)\rightarrow M $$ is defined on all $T_x(M)$ and is a diffeomorphism. Say I fix a point $x\in M$, and an orthogonal…
Levent
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Inequality in geodesic quadrupel

Let $(M,g)$ be a compact complete Riemannian manifold. Consider the geodesic quadrupel $ABCD$ where $l:=d(A,B)=d(B,C)=d(C,D)=d(A,D) \geq \frac{1}{2}$ and $d(B,D),d(A,C) \geq 1$. Let $x \in CD$ and $y \in AB$. Is it true that then $d(x,y)\geq…
Lena
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Is the geometrical interpretation of scalar Ricci curvature in Riemannian and pseudo-Riemannian manifold the same?

I ponder about interpretation of scalar curvature in Schwarzschild interior solution. It reads: \begin{equation}\label{scalarcurvature} -S=\varepsilon-3p \tag{1} \end{equation} where the dimensionless scalar curvature is defined as $S\equiv…
JanG
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the “round” metric for an $S^{2}\times S^{1}$ space

I'm trying to find the “round” metric for an $S^{2}\times S^{1}$ space. One can think of this as the 3-sphere punctured by a 3d type catenoid. I was thinking I could start with the standard (round) metric of a three-sphere of radius R which…
R. Rankin
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Why $\nabla \omega = e^i \otimes \nabla _{e_i}\omega $?

For understanding the formal adjoint of div, I read the book, but I don't know how to get $$ \nabla \omega = e^i \otimes \nabla _{e_i}\omega \tag{1} $$ In my view, there is $$ \nabla \omega(e_i,…
Enhao Lan
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Curvature operator on tensor

Picture below is from Topping's Lectures on the Ricci flow. I can't understand the (2.1.2). What I know: for any vector field $Z\in \mathfrak X(M)$, there is $$ R(X,Y)Z = \nabla _Y\nabla _X Z - \nabla _X \nabla _Y Z + \nabla _{[X,Y]}Z…
Enhao Lan
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Ricci curvature on sphere

Picture below is from Hamilton's Three manifolds with positive Ricci curvature. I know why $R(u,v,u,v)>0$. Since the secional curvature of sphere is positive, I have $$ \frac{R(u,v,u,v)}{|u\wedge v|^2} = K(u,v)>0 $$ therefore, I agree…
Enhao Lan
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Prove "diagonalizes all of the $S_\eta$ simultaneously" in do Carmo's Riemannian Geometry

I don't know why red line is right. In my view, since $$ S_\eta : T_pM\rightarrow T_pM $$ I think the diagonalize means that the matrix of $S_\eta$ is diagonal. Athough, I know that $S_\eta$ is linear about $\eta$, namely $$ S_{\eta+\delta}= S_\eta…
Enhao Lan
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Geometric interpretation of sectional curvature in do Carmo's Riemannian Geometry

Picture below is from 132th page of do Carmo's Riemannian Geometry. I can feel the red line, but I want to prove it. In my view, it comes down to prove $$ \overline\exp_p|_{T_pM} = \exp_p $$ where $\overline\exp_p$ is the exponential map of…
Enhao Lan
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Coefficients of Ricci tensor

Picture below is from do Carmo's Riemannian Geometry. I want to get the red part. What I try: Since $\frac{1}{n-1} Q(X,Y)$ is bilinear form, I can assume $$ \frac{1}{n-1} Q(X,Y) = \sum_{i,j} x^iy^j Q_{ij} $$ where $X=\sum_i x^iX_i, Y=\sum_j y^j…
Enhao Lan
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Totally geodesic immersions

Let $ x: M \rightarrow \overline{M} $ be a totally geodesic immersion, where $ M $ is a $ k- $ dimensional Riemannian manifold and $ \overline{M} $ is a $ n- $ dimensional Riemannian manifold. Is it true that $ x $ is an embedding? Thanks
user55449
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Riemannian Manifold is (or not) geodesically complete

Let $\varphi : \mathbb R^2 \longrightarrow \mathbb R^3$ the map defined by $\varphi (x_1,x_2)=(x_1,2x_1,x_1^2+x_2)$. We considerer the surface of $\mathbb R^3$ $S=\varphi(\mathbb R^2)=\{(x_1,2x_1,x_1^2+x_2)\in \mathbb R^3\mid x_1,x_2\in \mathbb…
GoRza
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Necessary conditions for $ X $ to be a Killing field for the metric $g$

We consider the vector field $X =h(y)∂x$. Give the necessary conditions for $ X $ to be a Killing field for the metric $g$ with $$g=\left(\begin{array}{cc} 1+y^{2} & x y \\ x y & 1+x^{2} \end{array}\right) $$ $X$ is a Killing field iff $L_X g=0 ,$…
M-S
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Euclidean $n$-dimensional space is locally isometric to warped product $\mathbb{R_+}\times_{\lVert \cdot \rVert} S^{n-1}$

If $M,N$ are smooth manifolds with Riemann metrics $g,h$ and $f:M\to (0,+\infty)$ is a smooth function, the warped product $M\times_f N$ is defined as the smooth manifold $M\times N$ with the Riemann metric $g\times_f h$, defined as follows: if…
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A question about geodesics of hyperbolic space

Let $ H^n $ be the the upper half space of $ R^n $ endowed with the conformal metric $ g=\frac{1}{x_{n}^{2}}|dz|^2 $ ($ |dz|^2 $ is the standard metric of $ R^n $). This space is the classical hyperbolic space and its Riemannian connection $…
user55449