- #1
ianhoolihan
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What is a "scalar (under rotation) 1-chain"?
Hi all,
I am trying to make sense of a paper involving differenital geometry and Lie algebras. Here's the part I am confused about:
Now things begin with finding the cohomology of a Lie algebra. The galilean algebra is taken as an example, and the Lie product is given in terms of differential forms:
[tex]\mu=\frac{1}{2}\epsilon_{ab}^c\Pi^a\Pi^b\otimes J_c +\epsilon_{ab}^c\Pi^a\Pi^{\bar{b}}\otimes K_c[/tex]
where barred indices refer to boosts. The paper then goes on to say:
I do not see how this applies. I assume it somehow helps to simplify "the most general scalar 1-cochain":
Now if someone could clarify this all to me, that'd be great. More specifically:
1. does [itex]\phi_{JJ}=\Pi^a\otimes J_a[/itex] mean [itex]\phi_{JJ}=\Pi^a\otimes J_a=\Pi^1 J_1 + \Pi^1 J_2+ ... +\Pi^3 J_3[/itex] i.e. with nine terms (remember the unbarred indices are rotation only, so three generators)?
2. Are the [itex]\alpha_i[/itex] real coefficients, or arrays? I.e. I would have thought
[tex]\phi=\phi^A_B\Pi^B \otimes T_A = ... = \phi ^a_b\Pi^b\otimes T_a+\phi ^a_{\bar{b}}\Pi^{\bar{b}}\otimes T_a+\phi ^{\bar{a}}_b\Pi^b\otimes T_{\bar{a}}+\phi ^{\bar{a}}_{\bar{b}}\Pi^{\bar{b}}\otimes T_{\bar{a}}[/tex]
where I have let [itex]A=\{\{a\},\{\bar{a}\}\}[/itex]. This is the closest I can get to the given expression, but here I have [itex]\alpha_1 \phi_{JJ} = \alpha_1 \Pi^a \otimes T_a = \phi ^a_b\Pi^b\otimes T_a[/itex], which doesn't seem to work. I am assuming the the [itex]\alpha_i[/itex] are simple scalars, which somehow is to do with [itex]\phi[/itex] being a "scalar 1-cochain".
I have a few more questions, but that will suffice for now -- hopefully this gets the ball rolling, and I can work them out myself, once I understand what's going on here.
Cheers,
Ianhoolihan
Hi all,
I am trying to make sense of a paper involving differenital geometry and Lie algebras. Here's the part I am confused about:
...Lie product map [itex]\mu: V\times V \rightarrow V[/itex] that satisfies the Jacobi identity,
[tex]\mu(x,\mu(y,z))=\mu(\mu(x,y),z)+\mu(y,\mu(x,z)).[/tex]
This is usually written as a cyclic sum, a form that, in the case at hand, obscures its content. To clarify the latter, take as an example the case where [\itex]x[/itex] is a Lorentz group generator, [itex]J_{\mu\nu}[/itex], and [itex]y,z[/itex] are other generators carrying Lorentz indices, say [itex]Y_\rho, Z_\sigma[/itex] respectively. Suppose [itex]\mu(y,z)=\mu(Y_\rho,Z_\sigma)=W[/itex]. Substituting this into the l.h.s above, one finds that the Jacobi identity requires that the transformation properties of [itex]W[/itex] under the Lorentz group are derived solely from those of [itex]Y_\rho,Z_\sigma[/itex], i.e. in this case [itex]W[/itex] ought to transform as a second-rank covariant tensor. Another way of saying this is that [itex]\mu[/itex] itself is a Lorentz scalar, an observation that we use later on.
Now things begin with finding the cohomology of a Lie algebra. The galilean algebra is taken as an example, and the Lie product is given in terms of differential forms:
[tex]\mu=\frac{1}{2}\epsilon_{ab}^c\Pi^a\Pi^b\otimes J_c +\epsilon_{ab}^c\Pi^a\Pi^{\bar{b}}\otimes K_c[/tex]
where barred indices refer to boosts. The paper then goes on to say:
By an argument based on the observation made [above]...we conclude that only scalar (under rotations) cochains need to be considered.
I do not see how this applies. I assume it somehow helps to simplify "the most general scalar 1-cochain":
...the most general scalar 1-cochain is given by
[tex]\phi = \alpha_1 \phi_{JJ} +\alpha_2 \phi_{KJ} +\alpha_3 \phi_{JK} +\alpha_4 \phi_{KK}[/tex]
with [itex]\phi_{JJ}=\Pi^a\otimes J_a[/itex] etc.
Now if someone could clarify this all to me, that'd be great. More specifically:
1. does [itex]\phi_{JJ}=\Pi^a\otimes J_a[/itex] mean [itex]\phi_{JJ}=\Pi^a\otimes J_a=\Pi^1 J_1 + \Pi^1 J_2+ ... +\Pi^3 J_3[/itex] i.e. with nine terms (remember the unbarred indices are rotation only, so three generators)?
2. Are the [itex]\alpha_i[/itex] real coefficients, or arrays? I.e. I would have thought
[tex]\phi=\phi^A_B\Pi^B \otimes T_A = ... = \phi ^a_b\Pi^b\otimes T_a+\phi ^a_{\bar{b}}\Pi^{\bar{b}}\otimes T_a+\phi ^{\bar{a}}_b\Pi^b\otimes T_{\bar{a}}+\phi ^{\bar{a}}_{\bar{b}}\Pi^{\bar{b}}\otimes T_{\bar{a}}[/tex]
where I have let [itex]A=\{\{a\},\{\bar{a}\}\}[/itex]. This is the closest I can get to the given expression, but here I have [itex]\alpha_1 \phi_{JJ} = \alpha_1 \Pi^a \otimes T_a = \phi ^a_b\Pi^b\otimes T_a[/itex], which doesn't seem to work. I am assuming the the [itex]\alpha_i[/itex] are simple scalars, which somehow is to do with [itex]\phi[/itex] being a "scalar 1-cochain".
I have a few more questions, but that will suffice for now -- hopefully this gets the ball rolling, and I can work them out myself, once I understand what's going on here.
Cheers,
Ianhoolihan