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Working with abstract differential forms

 

Description

Examples

Description

• 

This worksheet provides additional information for working with abstract differential forms, that is, differential forms which are defined abstractly without reference to any underlying system of coordinates. This new functionality of DifferentialGeometry is intended to supercede the difforms package.

• 

There are 2 different ways of using DifferentialGeometry to calculate with abstract differential forms.  The first way mirrors the scenario current provided by difforms -- one defines a list of forms (using DGsetup) by simply specifying their degrees. Then one can calculate wedge products and exterior derivatives of these forms. Equations for exterior derivatives can be specified. For the second method one indicates which of the 1-forms being defined constitute a co-frame for the underlying manifold.  In this setting, the vector fields dual to the given 1-forms are automatically created by DGsetup.  Wedge products, interior products, exterior derivatives and Lie derivatives can all be computed.

• 

The functionalities provided by DGzip, GetComponents, Annihilator, DGbasis and DGinfo are available as appropriate.

Examples

withDifferentialGeometry:withTools:

 

Example 1.

Create an abstract manifold M with a function f, 1-forms α, β, and a 2-form σ.

DGsetupf=dgform0,α=dgform1,β=dgform1,σ=dgform2,,M

frame name: M

(1)

The command DGinfo gives the names all scalars and forms which are defined.  

DGinfoAbstractForms

f,α,β,σ

(2)

Scalar products, wedge products and sums of abstract forms can be defined.

ωevalDG2α&wedgeβ+4σ

ω2αβ+4σ

(3)

The command DGinfo can also be used to extract information about the form ω.

DGinfoω,CoefficientSet

2,4

(4)

DGinfoω,CoefficientList,σ

4

(5)

New forms can be defined on M.

DGinfoAbstractForms

f,α,β,σ

(6)

We can use the DGzip and GetComponents commands with abstract forms.

ΩevalDGα&wβ,σ

Ωαβ,σ

(7)

ζDGzip3,5,Ω,plus

ζ3αβ+5σ

(8)

GetComponentsζ,Ω

3,5

(9)

We can take the exterior derivative of a form.

ρExteriorDerivativeα

ρdα

(10)

The 2-form dα has been added to list of defined forms and is now available for subsequent computations.

DGinfoAbstractForms

f,α,β,σ,dα

(11)

ExteriorDerivativeρ

0ασ

(12)

Exterior derivatives of defined forms can be specified.

DGsetupM,,df=fα,dβ=4σ+5α&wedgeβ

updated frame: M

(13)

ExteriorDerivativefβ

6αfβ+4σf

(14)

 

Example 2.

In this example we illustrate calculations using the second calling sequence for working with abstract forms. The 1-forms defining the co-frame are enclosed in separate list (the degrees of the forms defining the co-frame need not be given).

RemoveFrameM

0

(15)

DGsetupf=dgform0,g=dgform0,ω1,ω2,ω3,α=dgform2,β=dgform3,dω1=ω2&wω3,N

frame name: N

(16)

All the functionality of Example 1  is retained but now the manifold N  is taken to have dimension 3. The 1-forms ω1, ω2, ω3 define a co-frame on N  and the dual vector fields {D_ω1,D_ ω2,D_ ω3} have been initialized.   

DGinfoAbstractForms

f,g,ω1,ω2,ω3,α,β

(17)

DGinfoFrameBaseVectors

D_ω1,D_ω2,D_ω3

(18)

DGinfoFrameBaseForms

ω1,ω2,ω3

(19)

We can define vector fields on N.

XevalDGaD_omega1+bD_omega2+cD_omega3

XaD_ω1+bD_ω2+cD_ω3

(20)

We can calculate the interior products of vectors and forms.

HookX,ω1&wω3

ω3aω1c

(21)

The interior products of {D_ω1,D_ ω2,D_ ω3} with the 2-form alpha are automatically defined as new forms on N. 

HookD_omega1,β

ι1β

(22)

HookD_omega2,β

ι2β

(23)

HookD_omega3,β

ι3β

(24)

DGinfoAbstractForms

f,g,ω1,ω2,ω3,α,β,ι1β,ι2β,ι3β

(25)

HookX,α

ι1αa+ι2αb+ι3αc

(26)

Iterated interior products are known to be skew-symmetric:

HookD_omega1,i_1beta

0ω1

(27)

HookD_omega1,i_2beta

ι1,2β

(28)

HookD_omega3,i_2beta

ι2,3β

(29)

The forms are taken to be independent so the commands such as Annihilator and DGbasis will work in this setting.

AnnihilatorD_omega1+D_omega3

ω1+ω3,ω2

(30)

The Lie derivative of forms are computed from the Cartan formula.

LieDerivativeD_omega2,β

ι2dβ+dι2β

(31)

Here both terms in this equation are new forms which are added to the list of defined forms on N.

DGinfoAbstractForms

f,g,ω1,ω2,ω3,α,β,ι1β,ι2β,ι3β,ι1α,ι2α,ι3α,ι1,2β,ι2,3β,dβ,ι2dβ,dι2β

(32)

Equations for both exterior derivatives and interior products can be specified.

DGsetupN,,dω3=0,dβ=α&wα,hookD_omega2,β=α

updated frame: N

(33)

LieDerivativeD_omega2,β

2αι2α+dα

(34)

The Lie bracket can also be computed.

LieBracketD_omega2,D_omega3

D_ω1i_2_3domega2D_ω2

(35)

DGsetupN,q=dgform0,hookD_omega2,D_omega3,domega2=q

updated frame: N

(36)

LieBracketD_omega2,D_omega3

D_ω1qD_ω2

(37)

See Also

DifferentialGeometry

Annihilator

DGbasis

DGinfo

DGsetup

ExteriorDerivative

Hook

LieBracket

LieDerivative