Coordinate Tetrads: Other than Cartesian?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of a coordinate tetrad in spacetime and whether there are any alternatives to the Cartesian basis. It is stated that the tetrad refers to the coordinate basis vectors, rather than the coordinates themselves. It is also mentioned that in cylindrical and spherical coordinates, some of the spatial coordinate basis vectors vary with spatial location. The conversation then delves into the relationship between tetrads and coordinate basis vectors, with the conclusion that the Cartesian basis is the only holonomic tetrad or coordinate basis.
  • #1
Worldline
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Dear Friends
Is there any coordinate tetrad in spacetime except Cartesian basis ?
since tetrad basis should be orthogonal (( In Lorentzian description ))and the only orthogonal basis is Cartesian ( the metric is (+1,-1,-1,-1 ) but in any other coordinate basis like Spherical metric is ( +1,-1,-r,-rsino ) and they aren't coordiante tetrad .
 
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  • #2
Worldline said:
Dear Friends
Is there any coordinate tetrad in spacetime except Cartesian basis ?
since tetrad basis should be orthogonal (( In Lorentzian description ))and the only orthogonal basis is Cartesian ( the metric is (+1,-1,-1,-1 ) but in any other coordinate basis like Spherical metric is ( +1,-1,-r,-rsino ) and they aren't coordiante tetrad .

The tetrad refers to the coordinate basis vectors, rather than the coordinates. The 4 coordinate basis vectors for Spherical coordinates are all orthogonal to one another, as are the coordinate basis vectors for cylindrical coordinates. But, in cylindrical and spherical coordinates, some of the 3 spatial coordinate basis vectors vary with spatial location.
 
  • #3
I know that but i mean are the only holonomic tetrad basis Cartesian basis ?
unit vector basis in spherical coordinate are tetrads but coordiante basis isn't .and the relations between tetrads and basis coordiante are :
e[itex]_{r}[/itex]=∂[itex]_{r}[/itex]
e[itex]_{\theta}[/itex]=[itex]\frac{1}{r}[/itex]∂[itex]_{\theta}[/itex]
e[itex]_{\varphi}[/itex]=[itex]\frac{1}{rsin\varphi}[/itex]∂[itex]_{\varphi}[/itex]
e[itex]_{0}[/itex]=∂[itex]_{r}[/itex]=[itex]\frac{∂}{∂t}[/itex]
and we can see those unit vectors have non vanishing Lie's bracket (( so they are anholonomic or non coordiante basis ))
so i thought the cartecian basis are the only the coordinate tetrads (( or holonomic tetrads ))
 

1. What are coordinate tetrads?

Coordinate tetrads are a set of four coordinates that are used to describe a point in a geometric space. They are often used in mathematics and physics to represent the position and orientation of an object.

2. How are coordinate tetrads different from Cartesian coordinates?

While Cartesian coordinates use three axes (x, y, and z) to describe a point in 3-dimensional space, coordinate tetrads use four axes (x, y, z, and w) to describe a point in 4-dimensional space. The additional axis, w, is often used to represent time or a different dimension.

3. What are some applications of coordinate tetrads?

Coordinate tetrads are commonly used in fields such as physics, engineering, and computer graphics. They are used to describe the position and orientation of objects in 4-dimensional space, which is important in understanding the behavior of complex systems and creating accurate simulations.

4. How do you convert between Cartesian coordinates and coordinate tetrads?

To convert from Cartesian coordinates to coordinate tetrads, you can use a transformation matrix that maps the three Cartesian axes (x, y, and z) to the four coordinate tetrads axes (x, y, z, and w). Similarly, to convert from coordinate tetrads to Cartesian coordinates, you can use the inverse of this transformation matrix.

5. Can coordinate tetrads be used in more than 4 dimensions?

Yes, coordinate tetrads can be used in any number of dimensions. However, they are most commonly used in 4 dimensions as it is easier for humans to visualize and understand. In higher dimensions, coordinate tetrads become more complex and are often replaced by other coordinate systems such as hyperspherical coordinates.

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