Undergrad Ex. 19 Gauge Fields, Knots & Gravity: Is Rotation Correct?

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The discussion focuses on the pushforward of coordinate vector fields under a counterclockwise rotation in R². Participants clarify that the correct expressions for the pushforward of the vector fields are φ_*∂_x = (cos(θ))∂_x - (sin(θ))∂_y and φ_*∂_y = (sin(θ))∂_x + (cos(θ))∂_y. There is a common misconception that the pushforward should yield a different result, but calculations confirm the correct transformation. The conversation also touches on verifying results through specific test functions and tangent vectors along curves. Overall, the participants agree on the correctness of the derived expressions and reference errata for further clarification.
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Wanted to check with you guys that I'm not going crazy...

Exercise 19: Let ##\phi : \mathbf{R}^2 \rightarrow \mathbf{R}^2## be a counterclockwise rotation by angle ##\theta##. Let ##\partial_x, \partial_y## be the coordinate vector fields on ##\mathbf{R}^2##. Show, at any point of ##\mathbf{R}^2##, that ##\phi_*\partial_x = (\cos{\theta})\partial_x - (\sin{\theta}) \partial_y## and also ##\phi_*\partial_y = (\sin{\theta})\partial_x + (\cos{\theta})\partial_y##

The effect of the pushforward is just a rotation of the vectors, so presumably one would instead expect ##\phi_* \partial_x = (\cos{\theta})\partial_x + (\sin{\theta})\partial_y##, right?

The rotation is ##(x,y) \mapsto \phi(x,y) = (x\cos{\theta} - y\sin{\theta}, \ x\sin{\theta} + y\cos{\theta})##. Let ##f \in C^{\infty}(\mathbf{R}^2)## be a test function, then the pushforward of ##\partial_x## is\begin{align*}
((\phi_* \partial_x)(f))(\phi(x),\phi(y)) &= (\partial_x(\phi^* f))(x,y) \\
&= (\partial_x (f \circ \phi))(x,y) \\
\end{align*}One can determine the ##x##-component of ##\phi_* \partial_x## by letting ##f=x##,\begin{align*}
((\phi_* \partial_x)(x))(\phi(x),\phi(y)) &= (\partial_x(x \circ \phi))(x,y) \\
&= (\partial_x(x\cos{\theta} - y\sin{\theta}))(x,y) \\
&= \cos{\theta}
\end{align*}Similarly, put ##f=y## to obtain ##((\phi_* \partial_x)(y))(\phi(x),\phi(y)) = \sin{\theta}##. Then\begin{align*}
\phi_* \partial_x = (\cos{\theta})\partial_x + (\sin{\theta})\partial_y
\end{align*}as before. I haven't misread something?
 
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I agree with your conclusion. Alternatively, consider curve ##\gamma: t \mapsto (t,a)##, which has ##\partial_x## as its tangent vector. You will find that ##\phi \circ \gamma (t) = (t \cos\theta - a \sin\theta, t \sin\theta + a \cos\theta)##, which clearly has the tangent vector ##\cos\theta \partial_x + \sin\theta \partial_y##.
 
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Is there an errata for the errata? :wink:
1641022076628.png
 
In this video I can see a person walking around lines of curvature on a sphere with an arrow strapped to his waist. His task is to keep the arrow pointed in the same direction How does he do this ? Does he use a reference point like the stars? (that only move very slowly) If that is how he keeps the arrow pointing in the same direction, is that equivalent to saying that he orients the arrow wrt the 3d space that the sphere is embedded in? So ,although one refers to intrinsic curvature...

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