Change of Coordinate for V.Field in Mfld.

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the change of coordinate representation for vector fields defined on a \( C^k \) manifold, specifically addressing the technicalities involved in transitioning between different charts that contain a point \( p \). Participants explore the application of the chain rule in this context and the implications for vector fields in overlapping charts.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether the coordinate change for a vector field \( X_p \) from chart-to-chart is given by the derivatives of the compositions of the chart maps, specifically \( d(\Phi \circ \Phi'^{-1}) \) and \( d(\Phi' \circ \Phi^{-1}) \).
  • Another participant emphasizes the importance of understanding the geometrical picture of the patches on the manifold and suggests that the coordinate change can be expressed in terms of a function \( \kappa \), which may depend on the order of composition of the chart maps.
  • A participant expresses uncertainty about how the proposed functions relate to changing the coordinate representation of the vector field \( X_p \) and seeks clarification on whether the functions provide a means to transition between different basis representations in \( T_pM \).
  • One participant asserts that the process is fundamentally the chain rule from calculus, but does not specify the exact application of this rule.
  • Another participant seeks to clarify whether the chain rule applies to the composition of chart maps when transitioning between overlapping charts.
  • A later reply discusses the complexity of changing basis representations when the charts are not open subsets of \( \mathbb{R}^n \) and suggests a method involving pushing forward the vector field to \( \mathbb{R}^n \) before mapping it back to another basis.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the specific application of the chain rule or the method for changing the coordinate representation of the vector field. Multiple competing views and uncertainties remain regarding the correct approach to the problem.

Contextual Notes

Participants express limitations in their understanding of the relationship between the charts and the vector field representations, particularly when the charts are not open subsets of \( \mathbb{R}^n \). There is also mention of the complexity involved in visualizing the problem, indicating a potential gap in clarity regarding the overall process.

WWGD
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Hi, again:
Just a quick question; I have "notation indigestion", i.e., I have been trying

to figure way too many technicalities recently; I would appreciate a quick yes/no:


Say X_p is a V.Field defined at p in a C^k manifold; k>0 . Say (U,Phi) and (U',Phi')

are both charts containing p . Just wondering if the rule for coordinate change

of X from chart-to-chart is; is it given by

d(Phi o Phi'^-1) and d(Phi' o Phi^-1) ?

I mean, I know it involves the chain rule, but I wonder if it is the chain rule

applied to the two formulas above.

Thanks.
 
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Think about the geometrical picture. You have patches U and U' on the manifold, which are mapped to some open subsets V and V' of Euclidean space.
Suppose you want the coordinate change from V to V'. Suppose you have a coordinate \vec v \in V. Then you can go to \Phi^{-1}(\vec v) \in U[/tex]. Assuming that this point is also in U&#039;, you can go to V&#039;: \Phi&amp;#039;( \Phi^{-1}(\vec v) ) \in V&amp;#039;. You can write this as \kappa(\vec v), where depending on your convention for composition of functions,<br /> \kappa = \Phi^{-1} \circ \Phi&amp;#039;<br /> or<br /> \kappa = \Phi&amp;#039; \circ \Phi^{-1}<br /> <br /> You can also go from V&#039; to V by a similar reasoning (and in fact you will find that the coordinate change you get is \kappa^{-1}).
 
Thanks, Compuchip; I don't know if I misunderstood ( or misunderestimated :smile:)
your reply:

But I think that both k, k' as you described them ( I am sorry, I can't make the

'quote' function work well in here ) give me a coordinate change between the patches

V,V' =Phi(U) and Phi'(U') respectively , as you described, but I don't see that this

gives me a way of changing the coordinate representation of the V.Field X_p , which

lives in U/\U' (Sorry, I am still learning Tex.).



I know that we get the coordinate rep. ( in terms of the basis for T_pM , in

each of the charts U,U' ) by pulling back (Thru Phi, Phi' respectively), the basis

of T_Phi(p)R^n and T_Phi'(p) R^n respectively, to get different bases for T_pM.

Does your k , k' give me a way of going from one basis representation of T_pR^n

to another basis rep. of T_pR^n ?


Thanks, and sorry for writing in ASCII. Hopefully this summer I will have time to

learn Latex.
 
It's just the chain rule from good old calculus.
 
Yes, Zhentil,thanks, I understand that. I was looking for what specific map
we apply the chain rule to:

Is it to the composition of chart maps (Phi o Phi' ^-1) ;with (U,Phi) and (U',Phi')

overlapping charts for p ?(or, of course, the inverse of the map above, if we want to

change in the opposite direction).
 
This is my issue: If M,N, are open subsets of R^n, this is easy. Now, if M,N are not
open subsets of R^n, then , we get a basis representation for X_p as above in U,
by pulling back the basis vectors in T_Phi(p)R^n , by the chart map Phi^-1 , and
we get the basis rep. in the chart U' , by pulling back (using Phi'^-1) ,the basis
vectors in T_Phi'p R^n.

Then, to change , I think we need to push forward the vector field X_p ( in whichever
basis) to R^n , then use the fuch forward to map this image into the other basis in R^n,
and then pull back again. I get the idea, I think, but this is becoming a "tress v. forest"
thing , here, and I lost track of just how to figure out the change of expression, and I
was hoping that if someone was familiar with it, they could give me the "forest" --
to push the analogy to its limit.
 

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