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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The punctured unit disc has the complete riemannian metric with constant curvature -1

Find how to construct this metric, find the distance under the metric between $(e^{-2\pi},0)$ and $(-e^{-\pi},0)$ This is a very interesting question, I have an idea ,construct Riemannian covering space from Upper Half plane. Is it right? There are…
henry
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Understanding final statement of the Cheng's Maximal Diameter Theorem ( John Lee's Introduction to Riemannian manifolds )

I am reading the John Lee's Introduction to Riemannian manifolds, 2nd Edition, proof of Theorem 12.28 ( Cheng's Maximal Diameter Theorem ) and stuck at final statement. First, I will extract and ask main point. It seems easy ( works by unwinding…
Plantation
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symmetrization and density argument for compact manifolds

Is it possible to apply "standard symmetrization and density arguments" in a compact Riemannian manifold to prove something at first in a smaller subdomain of it? So suppose we have to show finiteness of some integral, say…
am_11235...
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Volume compare about submanifold

When I read the volume compare theorem (first picture below), I think there should be a theorem about the boundary of ball, liking $$ vol (\partial B_r(p)) \le vol(\partial B_r(\tilde p)) $$ Further, the volume of sub-manifold should can be…
Enhao Lan
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local behavior of exponential map on Riemannian manifolds

This problem is from John Lee's Introduction to Riemannian Manifold Problem 6-7(a) Let $(M, g)$ be a connected Riemannian Manifold. Show that for every $p \in M$ and $v, w \in T_p M$, we have $$ \lim _{t \rightarrow 0} \frac{d_g\left(\exp _p t v,…
Yan Zhu
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An exercise in Do Carmo's riemannian geometry after chapter11 'the morse index theorem'.

Let me put the picture of this exercise below: Exercise 2 mentioned in the hint is the following: My question is that in the hint, in order to show K=1 one must prove that the multiplicity of the conjugate point q in each geodesic from p is all…
Qhejaz
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How to show the sphere in upper-half space is maped to a sphere by $f^{-1}$?

I want to show the red line. But from the $(13)$, I can't get the expression of $f^{-1}$ even for $n=2$. I think there's a geometry to it, but I don't see it. What I try: Assume $n=2$, then $p=(x,y),p_0=(0,-2)$,…
Enhao Lan
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Why $\cos(df_p(v_1),df_p(v_2))=\cos(v_1,v_2)\Rightarrow|df_p(v)|^2=\lambda(p)^2 |v|^2$?

On the 169th page of do Carmo's Riemannian Geometry, the author state that $$ \cos (df_p(v_1), df_p(v_2)) = \cos (v_1,v_2) \Rightarrow |df_p(v)|^2=\lambda(p)^2 |v|^2 $$ where $v,v_1,v_2$ are the vectors at $p$, and $(v_1,v_2)$ is the angle of…
Enhao Lan
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Relationship between Ricci and dimension

For exemplo i read $Ric_{\overline{M}}(N,N)$ = n in imersion $\phi: M^{n} \to \overline{M}=S^{n+1}$. Why? What's the relationship? Ric = Ricci tensor e N is a normal vector field
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Norm riemann geometry, definition confused

I am currently studying Riemannian geometry and defining the Riemannian metric as being given by $g(u,v)=u^iv^ig_{ij}$, but the norm is defined as $||u||=\sqrt{g(u,u)} =\sqrt{g_{ij}u^iu^j}$. Why in the definition of norm do we not have the same…
Imath
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Norm of differential wrt Fubini–Study metric

Let $\phi:S^2\to S^2$ be a Möbius transformation. I would like to show that $$\frac1{\sqrt2}|d\phi(z)|=|\phi'(z)|\frac{1+|z|^2}{1+|\phi(z)|^2}.$$ Here I am using the Fubini–Study metric on both domain and codomain. I am pretty unfamiliar with the…
boink
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Simple question on normal coordinates on geodesic ball ( image of normal coordinate on geodesic ball can be also ball ? )

Let $(M,g)$ be a connected Riemannian manifold or pseudo-Riemannian manifold of dimension $n$ ( without boundary ). Let $U := \operatorname{exp}_p(B_{\delta}(0))$ be a geodesic ball in $M$ around $p\in M$. Every orthonormal basis $(b_i)$ for $T_p M$…
Plantation
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How to calculate the area of part of $(S^2,\tilde g)$?

Under the polar coordinate, the unit sphere is $$ S^2=\{(\sin\theta\cos\varphi,\sin\theta\sin\varphi,\cos\theta)\in \mathbb R^3:\theta\in[0,\pi],\varphi\in[0,2\pi] \} $$ the induced metric is $$ g=\begin{pmatrix} 1 &0 \\ 0…
Enhao Lan
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Computing tangent vector for sphere

I am not sure if I'm taking the derivative of a transition function correctly. This is coming from exercise 1.28 of Riemannian Geometry by Gallot-Hulin-Lafontaine. Given the sphere $S^2$ and two stereographic charts $(V_1=S^2\setminus \{N\},…
cheeseboardqueen
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How to construct a $C^1$ variation of the unique, minimal geodesic to its first conjugate point

This is a question that I encountered when reading Proposition 1.8 of the paper "Optimal transport and curvature" by Alessio Figalli and Cedric Villani, whose proof is only outlined and involves construction of a $C^1$ variation of the unique,…
Chee
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