Existence of Hodge Dual: obvious or non-trivial?

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    Dual Existence
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SUMMARY

The existence of the Hodge dual of a form \(\omega \in \Omega^p\) is established through the condition \(\forall \eta \in \Omega^p: \eta \wedge \omega^\star = g(\eta,\omega) \textrm{ Vol}\), where "Vol" denotes a chosen volume form. The discussion highlights the unicity of the form \(\omega^\star \in \Omega^{n-p}\) but raises questions about its existence. The existence can be demonstrated locally using basis arguments, while global existence requires addressing smoothness through local frames, confirming that the construction of \(\omega^\star\) is indeed non-trivial and requires justification.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of differential forms and the notation \(\Omega^p\)
  • Familiarity with the concept of the Hodge dual in differential geometry
  • Knowledge of tensor bundles and their sections
  • Basic principles of smooth manifolds and local frames
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  • Study the properties of differential forms in the context of smooth manifolds
  • Explore the construction of the Hodge dual in various dimensions
  • Learn about the role of local frames in proving global existence of forms
  • Investigate the implications of the Hodge theorem in differential geometry
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Mathematicians, particularly those specializing in differential geometry, theoretical physicists working with forms, and students seeking a deeper understanding of the Hodge dual and its applications.

nonequilibrium
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Some sources I have checked define the Hodge dual of a form \omega \in \Omega^p as the object such that \forall \eta \in \Omega^p: \eta \wedge \omega^\star = g(\eta,\omega) \textrm{ Vol} (where "Vol" is a chosen volume form).

I can see that there can be only one form with such a solution (i.e. unicity), but I can't see existence: how do we know there is such a form \omega^\star \in \Omega^{n-p} that satisfies that definition?

(I can kind of see it locally using some basis argument, but how make it global...) The main thing I'm confused about is whether it should be obvious that it exists (since my sources don't give extra arguments), or whether it requires further justification.
 
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Basically just construct it point-wise. Since forms are sections of tensor bundles evaluating at a point reduces the existence problem to vector spaces. Only a smoothness argument remains and for this local frames come to the rescue.
 

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