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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Calculating the Gaussian Curvature of Cylinder

In the book "Gravitation" by Misner, Thorne and Wheeler, exercise 1.1 on page 44 reads: Show that the Gaussian curvature $R$ of the surface of a cylinder is zero by showing that geodesics on that surface (unroll!) suffer no geodesic deviation. Give…
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Excercise in isometries of the half upper plane

This is one of Do Carmo's excersices and I got it as homework. Part (a) is easy and I include it here for the sake of completness. But I am entirely lost on part (b). A function $g:\mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ given by $g(t)=yt+x$, $t,x,y \in…
Sak
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Parallel geodesics imply metric is flat

Suppose we have a Riemannian manifold $M^n$ with families $F_i$ $1\leq i \leq n$ of geodesics. Each family consists of geodesics which cover all manifold and don't intersect (probably we should also assume that they vary "smoothly" in some sense).…
Vadim
  • 633
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Isometry and harmonic forms

Let $M$ be a Riemannian manifold. Assume that a finite group $G$ acts on $M$ as isometry. How can one prove that $G$ takes harmonic forms to harmonic forms?
Pooya
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Exponential map-Analytic Riemannian manifold

Given a real analytic Riemannian manifold $(M,g)$ (with analytic Riemannian metric), is the exponential map also analytic everywhere? and Why?
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Focal points of Clifford torus

Consider $N\subset M$ a submanifold of a Riemannian manifold $M$. I'm interested on the focal points of $N$ into $M$. Naturally for $S^{n-1}\subset S^{n}$ we have that the north and south poles are focal points of $S^{n-1}$ into $S^{n}$. Changing a…
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The measure of a special set in Riemannian manifold

Let $M$ be a complete Riemannian manifold and $a$, $b$ two different points on it. We define a set $A =\{x\in M | \ d(x,a)=d(x,b)\}$ where $d$ is the distance induced by the metric of $M$. My question is: is $A$ necessarily a measure $0$ set with…
Summer
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Locally but not globally symmetric manifold isometrically embedded in $\mathbb{R}^3$?

I'm trying to get a feeling for the distinction between locally symmetric and globally symmetric Riemannian manifolds. So I'm wondering, is there a nice example of a locally symmetric manifold which is isometrically embedded in $\mathbb{R}^3$ and is…
abenthy
  • 903
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Why does the Laplace operator extend to $L^2(X)$?

Suppose $X$ is a Riemannian manifold. Then we get a Laplace operator on $C^\infty(X)$. In most texts I see the Laplace operator extended to $L^2(X)$, but I don't see how, since it does not seem to be continuous for the $L^2$ norm (There are small…
user29743
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Covariant derivative intuition

Is this the correct intuition behind the covariant derivative? If not can you please show me how to covariant derivative is related to the directional derivative? The covariant derivative can be thought of as a generalisation of the directional…
J.Main
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Picturing the how the covariant derivative acts on vector fields

I am curious how people picture geometrically how the covariant derivative acts with regards to vector fields. I understand that it is merely an object which has been defined for some use and obeys certain conditions but how would you picture such a…
J.Main
  • 289
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Embedding of punctured torus with euclidean metric

A flat two-torus, $T^2$ that is the torus with Euclidean metric needs to be embedded at least in $\mathbb{R}^4$. If we puncture the torus and leave the Euclidean metric on it as inherited (ignoring the issues of completeness), what ambient space…
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Bounding the Norm of the Riemann Curvature Operator

I am having trouble with exercise 26 in chapter 2 of Peter Petersen's text "Riemannian Geometry." The exercise is stated: "Using Polarization show that the norm of the curvature operator on $\Lambda^2 T_pM$ is bounded by $$|\mathcal{R}|_p \leq…
Bohring
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How can we find these expressions: $\nabla_X \psi^T = X + \rho AX$ and $ \nabla \rho = -A(\psi^T), X \in \mathfrak{X}(M)$?

Let $M$ be an immersed orientable hypersurface of the Euclidean space $\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$ with unit normal field $N$, shape operator $A$ and $\psi:M\rightarrow\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$ the immersion. Then we have $$\psi = \psi^T + \rho N, (1) $$ where $\rho…
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Calculating the geodesic hyperbolic plane

Suppose we are given a certain Riemannian metric $$\frac{(dx)^2 + (dy)^2}{y^2}$$ How do I calculate geodesics? I know that we have the geodesic equation $$\ddot{x}^k(t) + \dot{x}^i(t)\dot{x}^j\Gamma_{ij}^k(x(t)) = 0$$ and that we have only two…
TheGeekGreek
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