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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Good problem book in riemannian geometry with specific exersices in curvature

Please I'm looking for some exersices similar to this one below. I have looked in a lot of books but in vain. If some one can suggest some books or links, I would be very grateful. Let $(M,\langle,\rangle)$ be a riemannian manifold equipped with th…
H_K
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Divergence and Levi-Civita connection

Let $M$ be a level set of a function in $\mathbb R^3$. Then the mean curvature of $M$ is given by the trace of the second fundamental form which is a divergence term involving the Levi-Civita connection. My question is, why is this the same as the…
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$K(p) = k_1 k_2 + \overline{k_1} \overline{k_2}$, where $K(p)$ is the curvature of a riemannian surface

Let $M$ be riemannian $2$-dimensional manifold with curvature $K$ and let $\psi : M \to {\mathbb{R}}^4$ be a isometric immersion. Let $p \in M$ and $\{\eta , \xi\} \subset {\mathbb{R}}^4$ an ortonormal basis in ${(T_pM)}^{\bot}$. Let $k_1$ and $k_2$…
joseabp91
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Equivalence of Riemannian structures on complex manifold after Deligne

I am reading Deligne's "Equations differentielles à points réguliers singuliers" and got stuck on page 61 which translates as follows: Let $X$ be a sparated complex analytic space, $Y$ a closed analytic subset of $X$ and $X^{*}:= X\backslash Y$ a…
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Determine the expression of the Riemannnian metric of $S^2$ induced by $\mathbb{R}^3$

Consider usual local coordinates $(\theta, \varphi)$ em $S^2 \subset \mathbb{R}^3$ defined by the parametrization $\phi:(0, \pi) \times (0, 2 \pi) \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^3$ given by $$\phi(\theta, \varphi) = (\sin \theta \cos \varphi, \sin \theta…
José
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Complete connected manifold implies nonextendible

If $M$ is a connected riemannian manifold, we can define it as extendible if there is another connected riemannian manifold $M'$ and there exists a proper open $A \subset M'$ ($A \neq M'$) such that $M$ is isometric to $A$. Well, let $M$ be a…
joseabp91
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Symmetric spaces in Cartan's moving frame method

What is the condition on the curvature 2-form $\Omega^i_j$ in Cartan's formalism for it to be parallel?
Raz Kupferman
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Maybe, a wrong in 4.6 Example of 0 Chapter of Do Carmo's Riemannian Geometry

Picture below is from the 19th page of Do Carmo's Riemannian Geometry. In my calculation, $$ \det (d(\pi_2\circ \pi_1^{-1})) =\frac{\partial(y'_1,...,y'_n)}{\partial(y_1,...,y_n)} $$ where , when $i\ne j$ $$ \frac{\partial y_i'}{\partial y_j}=…
Enhao Lan
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Exponential map on 2 dimensional Riemannian manifold restricted on a disk is a diffeomorphism.

Suppose $M$ is a simply-connected and complete Riemannian manifold, with Gaussian Curvature $K\leq \beta$,where $\beta>0$ is a positive real number. Choose a point $O\in M$, using the method of Jacobi field we can know that…
Tsoshamry
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If the sum of two sectional curvatures is invariant then M is conformally flat

My problem is: At any $x \in M$, the condition $$K(X_1,X_2)+K(X_3,X_4)=K(X_1,X_3)+K(X_2,X_4)$$ for $X_1,X_2,X_3,X_4 \in T_{x}M$, where the vectors are pairwise orthogonal and $K$ is the sectional curvature of $M$. Then $M^{n}$ is conformally flat,…
Rodrigues
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Big oh Notation in Riemannian Geometry

I am studying Lee's Book Riemannian Geometry 2ed and on p.328 he writes $g_{ij}=\delta_{ij}+ {O}(r^2)$, where $r$ is the radial distance function in a normal neighborhood. How can I prove it? Actually I can not understand the definition of "Big oh"…
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Naturality for the exponential map for pseudo-Riemannian manifold

Here $(M,g)$, $(\tilde M,\tilde g)$ consists of a smooth manifold $M$ (resp. $\tilde M$) with Riemannian metric $g$ (resp. $\tilde g$). Does the result above hold for pseudo-Riemannian manifolds as well? Or more specifically, say we have $M=\mathbb…
Sha Vuklia
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Two geodesics in a geodesic ball with the same end points are identical?

Let $(M,g)$ be a Riemannian Manifold and let $p\in M$. I was wondering if $c_1, c_2$ are two geodesics in a geodesic ball say $B_c(p)$, (where $B_c(p)$ is defined to be the image of a ball in $T_pM$ under $exp_p$) with the same end points and …
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Distance on Riemannian submanifold

Given a Riemannian manifold $(M,g)$, and an embedded sub-manifold $N\rightarrow M$ on which we equip the induced metric. For simplicity, let's suppose that $M$ and $N$ are both complete Riemannian manifolds, and Riemannian distances are defined. We…
dj wu
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Is this an elementary linear algebra fact?

The book "Riemannian Geoemetry" by Peter Petersen says the following on pg 171: Now recall that linear isometris $L:\Bbb{R}^k\to \Bbb{R}^k$ with $\text{det }L=(-1)^{k+1}$ has $1$ as an eigenvalue. I've never heard of this theorem. Is this an…
user67803