Decompostion of scalar field

In summary, the conversation discusses decompositions of vector fields and scalar fields. A vector field can be decomposed into conservative, solenoidal, and harmonic components. Similarly, a scalar field can be decomposed into positive and negative parts, or symmetric and anti-symmetric parts. This is demonstrated using the operation of "q -> -q" and the concept of Hodge decomposition.
  • #1
Jhenrique
685
4
If a vector field can be decomposed how a sum of a conservative + solenoidal + harmonic field...
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so, BTW, a scalar field can be decomposed in anothers scalar fields too?
 
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  • #2
What types of scalar fields are there?
 
  • #3
How about
$$\phi (q) = \frac{\phi(q) + \lvert \phi(q)\rvert}{2} +\frac{\phi(q) - \lvert \phi(q)\rvert}{2}$$
for a point ##q \in Q## on a smooth manifold and a section ##\phi \in C^{\infty}(Q, Q \times \mathbb R)## of the trivial vector bundle?
This is a decomposition into positive and negative parts.
If the operation ##q \to - q## makes sense, then you can also take
$$\phi (q) = \frac{\phi(q) + \phi(-q)}{2} +\frac{\phi(q) - \phi(-q)}{2}$$
using the same trick. This is a decomposition into symmetric and anti-symmetric parts.
EDIT: You might be interested in this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hodge_decomposition
Note that a "scalar field" is a ##0##-form since ##\bigwedge^0 T^*Q \simeq Q \times \mathbb R##.
 
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1. What is a scalar field?

A scalar field is a mathematical concept used in physics to describe a scalar quantity, which is a quantity that has only magnitude and no direction. It is represented by a function that assigns a scalar value to every point in a space.

2. What is decomposition of a scalar field?

Decomposition of a scalar field refers to breaking down the scalar field into simpler components or elements. This allows for easier analysis and understanding of the field's behavior and properties.

3. What methods are used to decompose a scalar field?

There are several methods used to decompose a scalar field, including Fourier analysis, wavelet analysis, and principal component analysis. These methods involve transforming the scalar field into its constituent parts or components.

4. What are the applications of scalar field decomposition?

Scalar field decomposition has various applications in physics, engineering, and data analysis. It is used to study and understand complex systems, such as fluid dynamics, heat transfer, and signal processing. It is also utilized in image processing and data compression.

5. How is decomposition of a scalar field related to vector fields?

Vector fields can be decomposed into scalar fields, with each scalar field representing a specific component of the vector field. Similarly, scalar fields can be combined to form a vector field. Decomposing a scalar field is a way to understand the underlying components of a vector field and their contributions to the overall field.

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