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
6
votes
2 answers

Killing vector fields restricted to geodesics

Given a Riemannian manifolds $(M,g)$, a Killing vector field $X$ on $M$, and a geodesic $\gamma: K \rightarrow M$ defined on an interval $K \subseteq \mathbb{R}$, how does one show that $X \circ \gamma$ is a Jacobi field along $\gamma$?
user20609
6
votes
1 answer

Differentiability of the distance function and cut locus

Let $ M $ be a complete Riemannian manifold and let $ d: M \rightarrow R $ be the distance function from a given point $ 0 \in M $. I want to prove that $ d $ is a smooth function on $ M -(C(p)\cup {p}) $ where $ C(p) $ is the cut locus of M with…
user55449
6
votes
1 answer

Diameters of Lens spaces

Fix coprime integers $p,q>0$. The discrete, finite group $\mathbb{Z}/p\mathbb{Z}$ operates on $S^3\subseteq\mathbb{C}^2$ (considered as a Riemannian manifold with the induced metric) via $(k+p\mathbb{Z}).(z_1,z_2)=(e^{2\pi ik/p}z_1,e^{2\pi…
Thorgott
  • 11,682
6
votes
2 answers

Formula relating covariant derivative and exterior derivative

According to Gallot-Hulin-Lafontaine one has $$d\alpha (X_0,\cdots,X_q) = \sum_{i=0}^q (-1)^i D_{X_i} \alpha (X_1,\cdots,X_{i-1},X_0,X_{i+1},\cdots,X_q)$$ It seems to me that it should be $$d\alpha (X_0,\cdots,X_q) = \sum_{i=0}^q (-1)^i D_{X_i}…
Timofei
  • 61
6
votes
1 answer

Closed geodesic on a Riemannian manifold is homotopic to a closed curve of strictly shorter length

This is an exercise from chapter 9 of do Carmo. Let $M^n$ be an orientable Riemannian manifold with positive sectional curvature and even dimension. Let $\gamma$ be a closed geodesic in $M$, that is, $\gamma$ is an immersion of $S^1$ into $M$ that…
Tuo
  • 4,556
6
votes
0 answers

Simple calculation on weighted Riemannian manifolds gone wrong

Let us consider a weighted Riemannian Manifold $M$ with measure $\nu(dx) = e^{-V(x)} dx$ such that $V\in C^2$. Let also $L = \Delta - \nabla V\cdot\nabla$, where $\Delta$ is the Laplace-Beltrami operator, and take $f\in C_c^\infty(M)$. The Reilly…
Corram
  • 314
6
votes
1 answer

Covariant derivative of a pushforward

Suppose that $\Phi_t$ is a the global flow associated with a vector field $X$ on a Riemannian manifold $M$ and that $Y$ is any other vector field. Suppose furthermore that $X$ is a Killing vector field. Is there any way to…
i like xkcd
  • 1,041
6
votes
0 answers

Flag Curvature in Finsler Geometry

Does anyone know what is the flag curvature in Finsler geometry? I looked for this definition, but I don't find any answer.
InsideOut
  • 6,883
6
votes
1 answer

Question in do Carmo's book Riemannian geometry

This is a question on Do Carmo's book "Riemannian Geometry" (question 7 from chapter 7): Let $f:M\to \bar{M}$ be a diffeomorphism beetwen two riemannian manifolds. Suppose $\bar{M}$ complete and that there is $c>0$ such that: $$|v|\geq c|df_pv|$$…
Jr.
  • 4,026
6
votes
2 answers

An example that a Riemannian manifold that is complete, non compact and has finite volume.

I can't think of such an example, which is a complete, non compact Riemannian manifold and has finite volume.
Xiaochuan
  • 1,542
6
votes
1 answer

Riemannian Metric of Lobatchchevski Geometry

I am stuck at Problem 1.4(a) from Riemannain Geometry, written by Do Carmo. A function $g:\mathbb R\to\mathbb R$ given by $g(t)=yt+x$, $t$,$x$,$y\in\mathbb R$, $y>0$, is called a proper affine function. The subset of all such function with respect…
gaoxinge
  • 4,434
5
votes
1 answer

surface measure under induced surface metric

I'm currently reading a paper about incompressible Euler's equation, and I don't understand how the surface element expand. So here comes the question. Let $\Omega$ be a Riemannian manifold with metric $g_{ab}$ and $N^{a}$ be the unit normal to…
CC_Azusa
  • 1,453
5
votes
3 answers

Riemannian metric, compute

I have a question that may look for you as silly. A few years ago I took a course of Riemannian geometry. Well, the first problem I found is to understand the generalization of tangent plane (in surfaces) into tangent space. I accept the idea…
user127784
  • 51
  • 2
5
votes
1 answer

The distance function of the geodesically convex manifold

$M$ is a geodesically convex Riemannian manifold, that is, for any two points $p,q$ on $M$, there is a unique minimizing geodesic connecting them. Can we conclude that for any $p \in M$, the function $f(x)=(d(x,p))^2$ is smooth where $d$ is the…
Summer
  • 6,893
5
votes
1 answer

Simply connected in "An application of second variation to submanifold theory"

I read the section 3 of chapter 10 of do Carmo's Riemannian Geometry. In fact, it is reproduce of Moore, John Douglas, An application of second variation to submanifold theory, Duke Math. J. 42, 191-193 (1975). ZBL0337.53045. But I can't understand…
Enhao Lan
  • 5,829
1 2
3
32 33