Pushforward of Smooth Vector Fields

In summary, the conversation discusses the criteria for the pushforward of a smooth vector field to be a smooth vector field on its own right. This involves considering a smooth map between manifolds and the associated pushforward map between tangent bundles. The necessary requirement for this criteria is that the map must be bijective. However, the sufficient conditions are not clear and further discussion is needed.
  • #1
Zag
49
9
Hello everyone, my question is: what are the criteria that must be satisfied for the pushforward of a smooth vector field to be a smooth vector field on its own right?

Consider a smooth map [itex]\phi : M \longrightarrow N[/itex] between the smooth manifolds [itex]M[/itex] and [itex]N[/itex]. The pushforward associated with this map is a map [itex]\phi_{\ast} : TM \longrightarrow TN[/itex] between the respective tangent bundles associated with [itex]M[/itex] and [itex]N[/itex]. (For simplicity I am omitting here the point-wise nature of the pushforward definition).

Smooth vector fields on [itex]M[/itex] are smooth sections [itex]\sigma : TM \longrightarrow M[/itex] of the tangent bundle [itex]TM[/itex]. My question is: what are the criteria that must be satisfied for the pushforward of a smooth vector field [itex]\sigma[/itex] on [itex]M[/itex] to be a smooth vector field on its own right on the target manifold [itex]N[/itex]? In other words, what would be the conditions which guarantee [itex]\phi_{\ast}\sigma[/itex] to be a smooth section of [itex]TN[/itex]?

It seems to me that a basic necessary requirement would be that [itex]\phi[/itex] must be bijective, so that [itex]\phi_{\ast}[/itex] would define a unique vector at every point of [itex]N[/itex]. However, I am not sure what would be a set of sufficient conditions.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your help,
Zag
 
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  • #2
Maybe you can think of either what happens to the standard basis under a map, or use coordinates , so the Jacobian describes what happens. When can you invert a Jacobian? Or think about what happens when pushing forward a tangent bundle.
 

What is the definition of pushforward of smooth vector fields?

The pushforward of a smooth vector field is a way to transfer a vector field defined on one manifold to another manifold. It is a linear map that takes a tangent vector at a point on the first manifold and assigns it to a tangent vector at a corresponding point on the second manifold.

Why is pushforward of smooth vector fields important in mathematics?

Pushforward of smooth vector fields is important because it allows us to study how vector fields behave under different maps and transformations. This is useful in many areas of mathematics, including differential geometry, topology, and dynamical systems.

How is the pushforward of smooth vector fields related to the tangent space?

The pushforward of a smooth vector field is closely related to the tangent space of a manifold. In fact, the pushforward map is defined using the tangent space. It maps tangent vectors from the tangent space of one manifold to the tangent space of another manifold.

What is the difference between pushforward and pullback of smooth vector fields?

The pushforward and pullback of smooth vector fields are two related but distinct operations. The pushforward maps tangent vectors from one manifold to another, while the pullback maps tangent vectors from one manifold to the cotangent space of another manifold. In a sense, the pullback is the dual operation to the pushforward.

Can pushforward of smooth vector fields be extended to more general maps?

Yes, pushforward of smooth vector fields can be extended to more general maps, such as diffeomorphisms and smooth maps between manifolds. In these cases, the pushforward is defined using the derivative of the map, rather than just the tangent space. This allows for a more general and powerful tool in studying vector fields on manifolds.

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