LaTeX Latex - superscript & subscript together

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The discussion focuses on formatting complex LaTeX expressions that include both superscripts and subscripts. Users seek ways to position these indices more compactly, particularly wanting them adjacent to the variable rather than below or above it. Suggestions include using custom commands like \newcommand to streamline the process and various positioning techniques to achieve a cleaner look. The conversation also touches on integrating over momentum space, with some debate on notation standards and aesthetics in mathematical expressions. Overall, participants share tips and examples to improve LaTeX formatting for clarity and conciseness.
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latex -- superscript & subscript together

Hi,

I need to use expressions that have arguments, multiple superscript and subscript indices at the same time, e.g

<br /> V(ij)_{\sigma_1\sigma_2}^{\tau_1\tau_2}<br />

Is it possible to force latex to make this formula more compact, ie. to put the sigma and tau indices right after V, above / below (ij)?

Thanks for your help!
 
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Something like this:
$$\underset{\sigma_1 \sigma_2}{\overset{\tau_1 \tau_2}{V_{i,j}}}$$If you need to do it a lot, you'll want to define a new command:

\newcommand{\vc}[3]{\overset{#2}{\underset{#3}{#1}}}

... the use would be \vc{bace}{over}{under}

\vc{X}{a,b}{c,d}$$\newcommand{\vc}[3]{\overset{#2}{\underset{#3}{#1}}} \vc{X}{a,b}{c,d}$$
 
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Thank you very much, that is really nice! Is it possible to put them to the top right / bottom right corner of V?
 
They are at the top-right/bottom-right corners of the V... well the start there.
You want them to end there?
Well ... using _a^bV^c_d:$$_a^bV^c_d$$... or \sideset{_a^b}{_d^c}V$$\sideset{_a^b}{_d^c}V$$... hmmm, pretty much the same (bit more square).$$\overset{\tau_1 \; \tau_2}{\underset{\sigma_1 \; \sigma_2}{V_{i,j}}}$$... expoits the centering by adding a horizontal space. I can make it wider:$$\overset{\tau_1 \;\; \tau_2}{\underset{\sigma_1 \;\; \sigma_2}{V_{i,j}}}$$... nesting the subscripts is pretty messy though.

Try looking through ftp://ftp.ams.org/pub/tex/doc/amsmath/short-math-guide.pdf for more possibilities.
 
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That's what I was looking for not long ago...

C \iiint^{+\infty}_{-\infty}e^{-\frac \beta {2m} (p^2_x+p^2_y+p^2_z)}dp_x dp_y dp_z = 1

C \underset{-\infty}{\overset{+\infty} \iiint} e^{-\frac \beta {2m} (p^2_x+p^2_y+p^2_z)}dp_x dp_y dp_z = 1

Still not perfect, but already better.
 


Borek said:
That's what I was looking for not long ago...

C \iiint^{+\infty}_{-\infty}e^{-\frac \beta {2m} (p^2_x+p^2_y+p^2_z)}dp_x dp_y dp_z = 1

C \underset{-\infty}{\overset{+\infty} \iiint} e^{-\frac \beta {2m} (p^2_x+p^2_y+p^2_z)}dp_x dp_y dp_z = 1

Still not perfect, but already better.

That first one looks like a pair of indefinite integrals over a definite integral. The latter is rather non-standard.

What you are trying to say is that you want to integrate over all of momentum space (I assume p is some generalized momentum). There's nothing wrong with \iiint_V f(V)\,dV, where V is the volume to be integrated over. Using \iiint_V f(x,y,z)\,dx\,dy\,dz is perhaps an abuse of notation, but it is a widely used and widely understood abuse of notation. Your momentum space is ℝ3. So just say so:

C \iiint_{\mathbb R^3}e^{-\frac \beta {2m} (p^2_x+p^2_y+p^2_z)}dp_x dp_y dp_z = 1
 


Thank you Simon, I really appreciate your help!
 


D H said:
The latter is rather non-standard.

That's the way it was shown in the Physical Chemistry textbook printed here many times since at least seventies and considered for many years to be a standard text (called "a brick" for the size, weight, and cover color). Doesn't make it correct, it is just not something I made up - rather something I selected for aesthetic reasons.
 


@csopi: no worries.

@D_H: I have also seen:$$\underset{\infty}{\iiint}f(x,y,z)dxdydz$$... as a shorthand for integrating over all space. Sometimes not even a triple-int sign. It may even be $$\underset{\infty}{\int}Fd\tau$$... so these things are used whatever we may think of them.
I mostly associate this sort of thing with the preliminary notes in a handwritten document.

Sometimes it looks tidier to write$$\underset{-\infty}{\int}^\infty f(x)dx$$... but I'm like: "meh": it looks ugly with pretty much anything else.
 

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