Differentiability of functions defined on manifolds

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of differentiability for functions defined on a manifold with values in a Banach space. It defines differentiability as a map of manifolds and explains that a function is differentiable if and only if its composition with a homeomorphism is differentiable.
  • #1
yifli
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0
Quoted from a book I'm reading:

if f is any function defined on a manifold M with values in Banach space, then f is differentiable if and only if it is differentiable as a map of manifolds.

what does it mean by 'differentiable as a map of manifolds'?
 
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  • #2
Hi yifli! :smile:


(I assume that you have defined what a differentiable map is between Banach spaces).

Differentiability as a map of manifolds means:

Let [itex]\Phi:M\rightarrow X[/itex] be your map from M to a Banach space. And let [itex]x\in M[/itex], then x has an open neighbourhood which is homeomorphic to an open set of [itex]\mathbb{R}^n[/itex]. Thus there exists a homeomorphism [itex]a:U\rightarrow V[/itex] with U an open set in M that contaisn x and V open in [itex]\mathbb{R}^n[/itex].

Now, [itex]\Phi[/itex] is differentiable in x if and only if [itex]\Phi\circ a^{-1}[/itex] is differentiable.
 

1. What is a manifold?

A manifold is a mathematical concept that describes a space that locally resembles Euclidean space. In other words, a manifold is a space that can be smoothly mapped to a portion of a plane or a higher-dimensional space. Real-world examples of manifolds include the surface of a sphere or the curves of a roller coaster.

2. What is differentiability?

Differentiability is a mathematical property of a function that describes how smoothly it changes. In simpler terms, a differentiable function is one that has a well-defined derivative at every point in its domain. This means that the function does not have any sharp corners, breaks, or discontinuities.

3. How is differentiability defined for functions on manifolds?

Differentiability of functions on manifolds is defined using the concept of tangent spaces. Tangent spaces are vector spaces that describe the direction and rate of change of a function at a specific point on the manifold. A function is differentiable on a manifold if it has a well-defined tangent space at every point on the manifold.

4. What is the importance of differentiability on manifolds?

Differentiability plays a crucial role in many fields of mathematics and science, including physics, engineering, and computer graphics. It allows us to understand and model the behavior of functions on curved spaces, which is essential in many real-world applications.

5. Can all functions on manifolds be differentiable?

No, not all functions on manifolds are differentiable. Some functions may have sharp corners or breaks, which means they are not differentiable at those points. Additionally, some manifolds may have points where it is impossible to define a tangent space, making differentiability impossible. However, for most practical purposes, functions on manifolds can be assumed to be differentiable if they are smooth and continuous.

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