Difficulty in understanding the notation

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the interpretation of specific notation used in a stationary metric related to spin connections in a theoretical physics context. Participants are attempting to clarify the meaning of certain mathematical expressions and notations, particularly focusing on the anti-symmetric part of tensors.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion regarding the notation $$\partial_{[_i\omega _j]}$$ and $$\partial_{[_ie^{-2U}\delta_j]k}$$ in the context of the spin connections provided in the metric.
  • Another participant suggests that attaching a page from the book might help clarify the notation.
  • A later reply explains that the bracket notation indicates the anti-symmetric part of a tensor, providing a formula for how to compute it, and notes that conventions may vary regarding normalization factors.
  • The same participant also illustrates the concept using a specific example involving a rank two co-variant tensor.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the need for clarification regarding the notation, but there is no consensus on the interpretation of the variable 'b' mentioned in the book or the specific conventions used.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved aspects regarding the definitions and conventions used in the book, particularly concerning the variable 'b' and the normalization factors in the anti-symmetric notation.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be useful for students or researchers working with spin connections and tensor notation in theoretical physics, particularly those encountering similar notation challenges in their studies.

PhyAmateur
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We have this stationary metric, $$ds^2 = e^{2U}(dt+\omega_idx^i)^2 -e^{-2U}dx^2$$

The book wrote down the spin connections of this:

$$ \omega^{0i}=\partial_ie^{U}e^0 +e^{3U}\partial_{[_i\omega _k]}e^k $$
and $$ \omega^{ij}= e^{3U}(\partial_{[_i\omega _j]}e^0-\partial_{[_ie^{-2U}\delta_j]k} )$$
it is this $$ \partial_{[_i\omega _j]}$$ that I didn't understand along with the $$\partial_{[_ie^{-2U}\delta_j]k}$$ . If we unwrapped these, what do we get? I am only having problem with the notation.

Note please that the book mentioned that $$\partial_{[_i\omega _j]}= - \frac{1}{2} \epsilon _{ijk}\partial_kb$$ where I have no idea what he meant by b. The first time I saw this b was in this note.

{I can attach the page of the book if needed (if my writings here are not clear as upper indices or lower ones).}
 
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I think...probably attach the page of the book.
 

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Oh...I see what is happening lol. Your latex made the omega's subscripts and made the notation much more confusing! The bracket notation means the "anti-symmetric part". So, say I have a tensor ##T_{ij}## then ##T_{[ij]}=\frac{1}{2}(T_{ij}-T_{ji})## (some references might have the 1/2 there as a normalization factor, while others might not, check which convention is being used by your book). With more indices, you just have to be alternate signs, a + sign will appear for terms which are even permutations of the indices, and a - sign will appear for odd permutations. That's basically all there is to it. If I have a rank two co-variant tensor which is the outer product of two one-forms, then the notation just looks a little weird, but it means the same thing:

$$A_{[i}\omega_{j]}=\frac{1}{2}(A_i\omega_j-A_j\omega_i)$$
 
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