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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What does $\langle R(x,z_i)x,z_i \rangle$ represent geometrically?

In his book Riemannian Geometry, Manfredo Do Carmo states the following on page 97: Let $x = z_n$ be a unit vector in $T_pM$; we take an orthonormal basis $\lbrace z_1,z_2,...,z_{n-1}\rbrace$ of the hyperplane in $T_pM$ orthogonal to $x$ and…
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Does Nash's theorem allow an embedded representation of the Riemann tensor without loss of generality?

Does Nash's theorem allow an embedded representation of the Riemann tensor without loss of generality? Based on what is found here Nash embedding theorem: "The Nash embedding theorems (or imbedding theorems), named after John Forbes Nash, state that…
linuxfreebird
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Question in do Carmo

In Exercise 9, Chaper 4, do Carmo gives a hint to solving a problem. He says to consider an orthonormal basis $e_1, \ldots, e_n$ in $T_pM$ such that if $x = \sum_{i=1}^n x_i e_i$, $$\text{Ric}_p(x) = \sum \lambda_i x_i^2,$$ $\lambda_i$ real. My…
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convexity and center of mass in riemannian manifolds

every riemannian manifold M is locally convex. Let $U$ be an open convex subset of $M$. Let $x_0, \ldots, x_n$ be points in $U$. Consider the map $\sigma \: \Delta \to U$ (where $\Delta$ is the standard $n$-simplex, i.e. the convex hull of the…
fritz
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How do geodesics change when I scale the metric?

If (M,g) is a Riemannian manifold, and f(m) is a positive real-valued function on M, then f.g is another Riemannian metric on M. If I know all the g-geodesics from x to y in M, can I find out the (f.g)-geodesics from x to y in M?
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What is Rotational on a Riemannian Manifold?

I have learned divergence, gradient and rotational in vector analysis of $\mathbb R^3$. However, when I read Riemannian Geometry, there are only definitions about divergence and gradient. So I have an idea to generalize the conception of…
gaoxinge
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Isometric actions

I'd like to know an example of a concrete riemannian isometric action $\mu: G\times M \rightarrow M$ such that the fixed point set is easy to calculate. If anyone could point me in the right direction for any nice references where they actually make…
Sak
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The exp map and distance on Riemannian manifolds

Let $(M,g)$ be a Riemannian manifold. Let $p$ be a point in $M$, and suppose we create a diffeomorphism between the tangent space at $p$ and a small neighborhood of $p$ in $M$. Is it then true that the distance between $q$ and $p$ is $\langle…
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Angles on a riemannian manifold

How can you compute the sum of the angles on a non-euclidean surface, on the surface of a $S^2$ sphere for example ? I know that (for an elliptic geometry) if the triangle is small enough, the sum would be $180$ degrees, and grow with the size of…
vkubicki
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Riemannian metric on the cotangent bundle

I have been trying to define the Levi-Civita connection by directly constructing a Riemannian metric on the cotangent bundle (I know once you have Levi-Civita, this is possible, but I want to do it the other way). I have an idea for a metric on the…
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volume and curvature of submanifolds

Suppose an $m$-dimensional manifold in an $n$-dimensional euclidean space, choose some point on this manifold and take an $n$-dimensional ball of certain radius $R$ centred in this point. If the volume of the manifold "enclosed" in this ball is $V$,…
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Do curvature identities determine the form of the curvature?

Let $\text{Riem}(g)$ be defined as the function which takes the metric and gives the $(0,4)$ Riemann tensor. We have the following implication: \begin{equation} R=\text{Riem}(g)\implies \begin{cases} R_{(ab)cd}=0 \\\\ R_{ab(cd)}=0…
dennis
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Computing curvatures of $M:=S^n(1) \times S^m(1)$

Compute the sectional curvature, Ricci curvature, and scalar curvature of $M:=S^n(1) \times S^m(1)$ where $S^n(1)$ denotes the $n$-dimensional sphere of radius $1$ with standard round metric. I figured that this question is what has been mentioned…
user1032459
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A question about unique minimal geodesic

Note that for a Riemannian manifold the minimal geodesics may not be unique, for example, there are infinitely many minimal geodesics connecting antipodal points in sphere. However, I hope the following thing is true, since I do need it. Let $(M,g)$…
user867836
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Riemannian Distance function taylor series

Given a Riemannian manifold $ (M,g) $, in a neighborhood of a fixed point $ x $, the distance function $ d^2(x,\cdot) $ is smooth. In coordinates, the taylor series starts off like: $$ d^2(x,y) = g_{ij} (x-y)^i (x-y)^j + c_{ijk} (x-y)^i (x-y)^j…