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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Converse of statement related to Hopf-Rinow Theorem

I know the Hopf-Rinow theorem and that if a Riemannian manifold is complete it implies that given any two points there is a unique distance minimizing geodesic that connects the two points, but is the converse true? Given that a Riemannian manifold…
Chris Z
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Flat metric is unique up to diffeomorphism

With respect to answer, I am not able to see the following: " Flat Metric Is Unique Up To Diffeomorpshim " What i meant can be seen by clicking the link. Is it trivial? Can someone help me out.
zapkm
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Riemann metric in the open disk

I am currently studying The Princeton companion to mathematics. According the book, "A more precise definition is that the open unit disk is the set of all points $(x,y)$ such that $ x^2 + y^2 < 1$ and that the Riemannian metric on this disk…
Akshit
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If we don't need a Riemannian metric to compare length of vectors, why do we use metrics to measure curvature?

I read that, in the absence of a Riemannian metric tensor field, we can still measure how much a vector changes when parallel transported around a curve by comparing the initial and final vectors. Then why do we need Rimeannian metrics to define…
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Question about curvature calculation method in Lee's *Riemannian Manifolds* book

In his book Riemannian manifolds, John Lee states the following on pages 8-9: The most fundamental fact about geodesics is that given any point $p\in M$ and any vector $V$ tangent to $M$ at $p$, there is a unique geodesic starting at $p$ with…
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Definition of a riemannian metric (smoothness)

In Ana Cannas de silva's book Lectures on Symplectic geometry he defines a positive inner product to be smooth when for any vector field $v$ the function $x \mapsto g_x(v_x, v_x)$ is smooth. Some other literature (i.e my lecture notes and wikipedia)…
Sander
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In the standard definition of an affine connection, what does $\nabla$ stand for?

I am very confused about what $\nabla$ signifies when used to describe affine connections. In his book Riemannian Geometry, Manfredo do Carmo defines an affine connection as follows. Let $\mathcal{X}(M)$ denote the set of all vector fields of class…
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A question about sum of angles in a non-positive curvature Riemannian manifold

Suppose on a non-positive curvature Riemannian manifold,we have a geodesic triangle $\triangle abc$ ,and counterpart edges donates $\alpha,\beta,\gamma$. If now I get $$ a^2 \geqq b^2+c^2-2bc cos\alpha $$ How can I induce that $\alpha+\beta+\gamma…
gilliatt
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Holonomy of H^{n}

I am trying to show that $Hol_{p}(H^{n})=SO(n)$. I know that Iso$_{p}=SO(n)$. From here can I conclude that $Hol_{p}(H^{n})=SO(n)$? For $S^{2}$ if we have two vectors $u,v$ at north-pole $N$ then let $\gamma , \sigma $ be geodesics from $N$ with…
Bingo
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What are the laplacian operators for the three two dimensional metrics of one variable dependence?

What are the laplacian operators from the three following two dimensional metrics of one variable dependence…
linuxfreebird
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geodesic based on fixed points

Question: For any points $p,q\in M$, does there exist a geodesic curve connecting $p$ and $q$? Let $M$ be some constant curvature space, like $\mathbb R^n$, $\mathbb S^n$, $\mathbb H^n$. The answer is yes in $M$. However, an obvious counterexample…
gaoxinge
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The distance in Riemann manifold

Let $f: M\to M$, where $(M,\rho)$ is a closed Riemann manifold, and $(\widetilde{M},\widetilde{\rho})$ is the universal covering of $(M,\rho)$, $D$ is a fundamental domain of $(\widetilde{M},\widetilde{\rho})$. $\widetilde{f}$ is the lift of $f$, we…
Antoine
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1-form on the Riemannian manifold

Let $\omega$ a 1-form on a riemannian manifold $(M,g)$, and for a point $x\in M$, there is a notation: $|\omega_x|_g$, what does $|\omega_x|_g$ mean?
Antoine
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Reference for a theorem in Riemann geometry

I am watching an online lecture by John Morgan on lektorium, and at about 33:00, he claimed a theorem which I have never heard before, that There is a formula in terms of Riemann curvature $R$ for $\exp^*(g_{ij}(x^1,\cdots,x^n))$, $\exp^*$ is the…
Golbez
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Jacobi fields in polar coordinates.

This is from Sakai's Riemannian Geometry: Let $(r, \theta)$ be polar coordinates of the plane. We define a Riemannian metric $g$ on the plane by $g(\frac{\partial}{\partial r}, \frac{\partial}{\partial r}) = 1$, $g(\frac{\partial}{\partial r},…
Joe Wells
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