# Differential geometry Definition and 176 Discussions

Differential geometry is a mathematical discipline that uses the techniques of differential calculus, integral calculus, linear algebra and multilinear algebra to study problems in geometry. The theory of plane and space curves and surfaces in the three-dimensional Euclidean space formed the basis for development of differential geometry during the 18th century and the 19th century.
Since the late 19th century, differential geometry has grown into a field concerned more generally with the geometric structures on differentiable manifolds. Differential geometry is closely related to differential topology and the geometric aspects of the theory of differential equations. The differential geometry of surfaces captures many of the key ideas and techniques endemic to this field.

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1. ### A Principal Invariants of the Weyl Tensor

It's possible that this may be a better fit for the Differential Geometry forum (in which case, please do let me know). However, I'm curious to know whether anyone is aware of any standard naming convention for the two principal invariants of the Weyl tensor. For the Riemann tensor, the names of...
2. ### I Are the coordinate axes a 1d- or 2d-differentiable manifold?

Suppose $$D=\{ (x,0) \in \mathbb{R}^2 : x \in \mathbb{R}\} \cup \{ (0,y) \in \mathbb{R}^2 : y \in \mathbb{R} \}$$ is a subset of $$\mathbb{R}^2$$ with subspace topology. Can this be a 1d or 2d manifold? Thank you!
3. ### I Is the projective space a smooth manifold?

Suppose you have the map $$\pi : \mathbb{R}^{n+1}-\{0\} \longrightarrow \mathbb{P}^n$$. I need to prove that the map is differentiable. But this map is a chart of $$\mathbb{P}^n$$ so by definition is differentiable? MENTOR NOTE: fixed Latex mistakes double \$ signs and backslashes needed for math
4. ### Other Collection of Free Online Math Books and Lecture Notes (part 1)

School starts soon, and I know students are looking to get their textbooks at bargain prices 🤑 Inspired by this thread I thought that I could share some of my findings of 100% legally free textbooks and lecture notes in mathematics and mathematical physics (mostly focused on geometry) (some of...
5. ### Introduction/Logic of propositions and predicates- 01 - Frederic Schuller

This is from a series of lectures - "Lectures on the Geometric Anatomy of Theoretical Physics" delivered by Dr.Frederic P Schuller
6. ### Normal vector of an embedding surface

I will only care about the ##t## and ##x## coordinates so that ##(t, z, x, x_i) \rightarrow (t,x)##. The normal vector is given by, ##n^\mu = g^{\mu\nu} \partial_\nu S ## How do I calculate ##n^\mu## in terms of ##U## given that the surface is written in terms of ##t## and ##x##? Also, after...
7. ### I Generic curve in R^n

What do we know of a curve(/what can it look like) in R^n if we know that κ1,κ2,...,κn-1 is constant?
8. ### I Diverging Gaussian curvature and (non) simply connected regions

Hi there! I have a few related questions on Gaussian curvature (K) of surfaces and simply connected regions: Suppose that K approaches infinity in the neighborhood of a point (x1,x2) . Is there any relationship between the diverging points of K and (non) simply connected regions? If K diverges...
9. ### I Darboux theorem for symplectic manifold

Hi, I am missing the point about the application of Darboux theorem to symplectic manifold case as explained here Darboux Theorem. We start from a symplectic manifold of even dimension ##n=2m## with a symplectic differential 2-form ##w## defined on it. Since by definition the symplectic 2-form...
10. ### A Representing flux tubes as a pair of level surfaces in R^3

I am trying to see if Vector fields(I am thinking of electric and magnetic fields) without sources(divergence less) can be represented by a pair of functions f and g such that the level surfaces of the functions represent flux lines. I am trying to solve this problem in ## R^3 ## with a...
11. ### Geometry Confusion about Differential Geometry Books

I was just browsing through the textbooks forum a few days ago when I came across a post on differential geometry books. Among the others these two books by the same author seem to be the most widely recommended: Elementary Differential Geometry (Barret O' Neill) Semi-Riemannian Geometry with...
12. ### A Question about definition of a hypersurface

In my notes on general relativity, hypersurfaces are defined as in the image. What confuses me is that if f=constant, surely the partial differential is going to be zero? I'm not sure if I'm missing something, but surely the function can't be equal to a constant and its partial differential be...
13. ### Find the osculating plane and the curvature

I know the osculating plane is normal to the binormal vector ##B(t)=(a,b,c)##. And since the point on which I am supposed to find the osculating plane is not given, I'm trying to find the osculating plane at an arbitrary point ##P(x_0,y_0,z_0)##. So, if ##R(x,y,z)## is a point on the plane, the...
14. ### A On the relationship between Chern number and zeros of a section

Greetings. I still struggle a little with the mathematics involved in the description of gauge theories in terms of fiber bundles, so please pardon and correct me if you find conceptual errors anywhere in this question. I would like to understand the connection (when it exists) between the...
15. ### A Line element geometry

i'm trying to find what sort of 2-d geometry this system is in, I've been given the line element 𝑑𝑠2=−sin𝜃cos𝜃sin𝜙cos𝜙[𝑑𝜃2+𝑑𝜙2]+(sin2𝜃sin2𝜙+cos2𝜃cos2𝜙)𝑑𝜃𝑑𝜙 where 0≤𝜙<2𝜋 and 0≤𝜃<𝜋/2 Im just not sure where to start. I've tried converting the coordinates to cartesian to see if it yields a...
16. ### I Riemannian Fisher-Rao metric and orthogonal parameter space

Let ## \mathcal{S} ## be a family of probability distributions ## \mathcal{P} ## of random variable ## \beta ## which is smoothly parametrized by a finite number of real parameters, i.e., ## \mathcal{S}=\left\{\mathcal{P}_{\theta}=w(\beta;\theta);\theta \in \mathbb{R}^{n}...
17. ### A Can we always rewrite a Tensor as a differential form?

I read in the book Gravitation by Wheeler that "Any tensor can be completely symmetrized or antisymmetrized with an appropriate linear combination of itself and it's transpose (see page 83; also this is an exercise on page 86 Exercise 3.12). And in Topology, Geometry and Physics by Michio...
18. ### Geometry Modern Differential Geometry Textbook Recommendation

Could you provide recommendations for a good modern introductory textbook on differential geometry, geared towards physicists. I know physicists and mathematicians do mathematics differently and I would like to see how it is done by a physicists standard. I have heard Chris Ishams “Modern Diff...
19. ### A Differential Forms or Tensors for Theoretical Physics Today

There are a few different textbooks out there on differential geometry geared towards physics applications and also theoretical physics books which use a geometric approach. Yet they use different approaches sometimes. For example kip thrones book “modern classical physics” uses a tensor...

36. ### I How to prove that compact regions in surfaces are closed?

This is problem 4.7.11 of O'Neill's *Elementary Differential Geometry*, second edition. The hint says to use the Hausdorff axiom ("Distinct points have distinct neighborhoods") and the results of fact that a finite intersection of neighborhoods of p is again a neighborhood of p. Here is my...
37. ### I Differential structure on a half-cone

Hi, consider an "half-cone" represented in Euclidean space ##R^3## in cartesian coordinates ##(x,y,z)## by: $$(x,y,\sqrt {x^2+y^2})$$ It does exist an homeomorphism with ##R^2## through, for instance, the projection ##p## of the half-cone on the ##R^2## plane. You can use ##p^{-1}## to get a...
38. ### I About the properties of the Divergence of a vector field

Hello I have a question if it possible, Let X a tangantial vector field of a riemannian manifolds M, and f a smooth function define on M. Is it true that X(exp-f)=-exp(-f).X(f) And div( exp(-f).X)=exp(-f)〈gradf, X〉+exp(-f)div(X)? Thank you
39. ### A Defining a Contact Structure Globally -- Obstructions?

Hi, Let ##M^3## be a 3-manifold embedded in ##\mathbb R^3## and consider a 2-plane field ( i.e. a Contact Structure) assigned at each tangent space ##T_p##. I am trying to understand obstructions to defining the plane field as a 1-form ( Whose kernel is the plane field/ Contact Structure) Given...
40. ### A Construction of Bondi Coordinates on general spacetimes

I'm trying to understand the BMS formalism in General Relativity and I'm in doubt with the so-called Bondi Coordinates. In the paper Lectures on the Infrared Structure of Gravity and Gauge Theories Andrew Strominger points out in section 5.1 the following: In the previous sections, flat...
41. ### I Showing that the image of an arbitrary patch is an open set

O'Neill's Elementary Differential Geometry, problem 4.3.13 (Kindle edition), asks the student to show that the image of an open set, under a proper patch, is an open set. Here is my attempt at a solution. I do not know if it is complete as I have difficulty explaining the consequence of the...
42. ### I Differential for surface of revolution

O'Neill's Elementary Differential Geometry contains an argument for the following proposition: "Let C be a curve in a plane P and let A be a line that does not meet C. When this *profile curve* C is revolved around the axis A, it sweeps out a surface of revolution M." For simplicity, he...
43. ### I Do Isometries Preserve Covariant Derivatives?

O'Neill's Elementary Differential Geometry, in problem 3.4.5, asks the student to prove that isometries preserve covariant derivatives. Before solving the problem in general, I decided to work through the case where the isometry is a simple inversion: ##F(p)=-p##, using a couple of simple vector...
44. ### I Connection forms and dual 1-forms for cylindrical coordinate

I ran across exercise 2.8.4 in Oneill's Elementary Differential Geometry. It says "Given a frame field ##E_1## and ##E_2## on ##R^2## there is an angle function ##\psi## such that ##E_1=\cos(\psi)U_1+\sin(\psi)U_2##, ##E_2=-\sin(\psi)U_1+\cos(\psi)U2## (where ##U_1##, ##U_2##, ##U_3## are the...
45. ### I Topology vs Differential Geometry

Hello. I am studying Analysis on Manifolds by Munkres. My aim is to be able to study by myself Spivak's Differential Geometry books. The problems is that the proof in Analysis on Manifolds seem many times difficult to understand and I am having SERIOUS trouble picturing myself coming up with...
46. ### I Question in Tensor Calculus

I am doing a problem from Schutz, Introduction to general relativity.The question asks you to find a coordinate transformation to a local inertial frame from a weak field Newtonian metric tensor ##(ds^2=-(1+2\phi)dt^2+(1-2\phi)(dx^2+dy^2+dz^2))##. I looked at the solution from a manual and it...
47. ### A Penrose paragraph on Bundle Cross-section?

I am reading "Road to Reality" by Rogen Penrose. In chapter 15, Fibre and Gauge Connection ,while going through Clifford Bundle, he says: ."""" ...Of course, this in itself does not tell us why the Clifford bundle has no continuous cross-sections. To understand this it will be helpful to look...
48. ### A Normal to coordinate curve

Let $$\phi(x^1,x^2...,x^n) =c$$ be a surface. What is unit Normal to the surface? I know how to find equation of normal to a surface. It is given by: $$\hat{e_{n}}=\frac{\nabla\phi}{|\nabla\phi|}$$ However the answer is given using metric tensor which I am not able to derive. Here is the...
49. ### Question about Spherical Metric and Approximations

Homework Statement This is Problem 2 from Chapter 1, Section V of A. Zee's Einstein Gravity in a Nutshell. Zee asks us to imagine a colony of "eskimo mites" that live at the north pole. The geometers of the colony have measured the following metric of their world to second order (with the...
50. ### A Constructing a sequence in a manifold

Given S is a submanifold of M such that every smooth function on S can be extended to a smooth function to a neighborhood W of S in M. I want to show that S is embedded submanifold. My attempt: Suppose S is not embedded. Then there is a point p that is not contained in any slice chart. Since a...