Questions tagged [clifford-algebras]
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Equivalent definition of Spin group in terms of automorphisms
Let $\mathrm{Cl}(\mathbb{R}^n)$ denote the (real) Clifford algebra on $\mathbb{R}^n$ with respect to the Euclidean inner product. Let $\mathrm{Cl}^0({\mathbb{R}^n})$ denote the even part of $\mathrm{...
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Clifford PBW theorem for quadratic form
$\DeclareMathOperator\Cl{Cl}$Update Feb 3 '12: now with a question 2 which is much more elementary (and should be well-known!).
Let $k$ be a commutative ring with $1$. Let $L$ be a $k$-module, and $g:...
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"The index is independent of the Dirac operator"
Fix a Clifford module bundle $E$ on a compact Riemannian manifold $M$ and let $D_0$ and $D_1$ be two Dirac operators (compatible with the Clifford action). The proof of the Atiyah-Singer index theorem ...
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Geometric explanation of Fueter-Sce-Qian Theorem and similar situations
In Clifford analysis there is a fundamental theorem due to Fueter and extended by Sce and Qian that says (in modern terminology) that the given a slice regular function $f:\mathbb{R}^{m+1}\to\mathbb{R}...
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Clifford Lie algebras
I'm studying the "Clifford Lie Algebra" (see Lachieze-Rey - Spin and Clifford algebras, an introduction page 30).
It's basically a way to look at Clifford algebras and their properties in a ...
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Clifford algebra as an adjunction?
Background
For definiteness (even though this is a categorical question!) let's agree that a vector space is a finite-dimensional real vector space and that an associative algebra is a finite-...
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Definition of Clifford super-connections
I have some questions concerning the definition of Clifford super-connections in Heat Kernels and Dirac Operators:
Definition 3.39. If $A$ is a super-connection on a Clifford module $E\to M$, we say ...
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Can any Clifford module bundle be extended to a Dirac bundle?
I assume that the question in the title is clear, so let me talk about its relevance:
According to theorem 4.3 in Heat Kernels and Dirac Operators the index theorem
\begin{equation}\tag{1}
\mathrm{ind}...
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Representations of degenerate Clifford algebras
Given a real finite-dimensional vector space $V$ with a symmetric bilinear form $b$, we define the Clifford algebra $Cl(V,b)$ as the quotient of the tensor algebra $\bigotimes V$ by the two sided ...
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Clifford modules - How is the grading on $\mathrm{Hom}_{C(V)}(S,E)$ defined?
From the book Heat Kernels and Dirac Operators:
Proposition 3.27. If $V$ is an even-dimensional real Euclidean vector space,
then every finite-dimensional $\mathbb{Z}_2$-graded complex module $E$ of ...
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Classification of real Clifford algebras
$\DeclareMathOperator\Cl{Cl}$Let $V$ be a real vector space of dimension $p+q$. Let $Q$ be a non-degenerate quadratic form on $V$ of signature $(p,q)$ where $p$ is the number of positive eigenvalues, ...
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On Dirac/ Clifford matrices
Let $(\eta^{\mu\nu})=\operatorname{diag}(+1,-1,-1,-1)$.
The Dirac matrices $\gamma^\mu$, $\mu=0,1,2,3$ satisfy by definition
$$\{\gamma^\mu,\gamma^\nu\}=2\eta^{\mu\nu}\tag{1}\label{1}$$
where $\{A,B\}=...
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Unitary operators with the same inner product as vectors
Suppose we have a set of real unit vectors $v_1,\ldots,v_m \in \mathbb{R}^n$. We can always find a set of unitary operators $U_1,\ldots,U_m$ acting on $\mathbb{C}^N$ (for $N$ that is possibly much ...
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Why Representation of Clifford algebra are constant for an orthonormal frame?
Let $e_\alpha$ be a basis of the tangent bundle $TM$ and $ \rho: T_x M \rightarrow \operatorname{End}\left( W\right)$ a representation of a Clifford algebra.
In this text Field theory from a bundle ...
CommunityBot
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Euclidean and Minkowski Majorana spinors - inconsistency with Wikipedia Table
In this wonderful lecture note on Clifford Algebra and
Spin(N) Representations, http://hitoshi.berkeley.edu/230A/clifford.pdf
Somehow I find some inconsistency with his Tables of Euclidean and ...
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Shouldn't $\mathrm{End}_{C(TM)}(E)$ be defined differently in Heat Kernels and Dirac Operators?
The first four chapters of the book lead up to the proof of theorem 4.1. Its main consequence is that it provides the local index theorem for Dirac operators. The statement of theorem 4.1 involves a ...
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Uniqueness of spinor representation
$\DeclareMathOperator\SU{SU}\DeclareMathOperator\SO{SO}\DeclareMathOperator\GL{GL}$I asked a similar question on math stack exchange here, but I wonder if it may be better received here.
Let $n$ be ...
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Group of invertible elements in a degree 4 central simple algebra with symplectic involution with norm in a center
Let $A$ be a central simple algebra of degree 4 (i.e. dimension 16) over a field $F$ with $\mathrm{char}(F) \neq 2$. It is known that any such algebra is a tensor product $D_1 \otimes D_2$ of two ...
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Literature on Clifford modules
I encountered Clifford modules in the book Heat Kernels and Dirac Operators. I am particularly interested in the definition of the isomorphism
$$\mathrm{End}(E)\cong C(V)\otimes \mathrm{End}_{C(V)}(E)$...
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Action of volume form on spinors in odd dimension
We know that for a smooth orientable manifold of dimension $2n, i^n$ times the volume form acts as identity on the positive spinors and acts as minus identity on the negative spinors via Clifford ...
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Clifford algebra non-zero
This should be a very easy question, but the proof in Lawson/Michelson (Spin geometry) is wrong and I do not find a really correct and complete argument:
Let V be a nonzero real vector space with ...
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Homomorphism from Clifford modules to Stable homotopy
In the paper "Clifford modules" by Atiyah, Bott and Shapiro, a homomorphism $\alpha:A_k\rightarrow \tilde{KO}(S^k)$ from a certain group of Clifford modules to real $K$-theory of spheres is ...
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Representations of Pin vs. Representations of Clifford
This may be total nonsense. But I need to know the answer quickly and I am too tired to think about it thoroughly. Let $k$ be a positive integer. Roe's "Elliptic Operators" claims that there ...
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Norm of Killing spinor
A Killing spinor on a Riemannian spin manifold is a section of the spinor bundle satisfying the equation:
\begin{align*}
\nabla_X\phi=\lambda X\cdot\phi
\end{align*}
Here $X$ is a vector field and $\...
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Dual Clifford module
$\DeclareMathOperator\Cl{Cl}$Let $\Cl(V)$ be the Clifford algebra of a quadratic vector space $(V,Q)$ over $k$, and let $M$ be a (left) $\Cl(V)$-module. The dual Clifford module is typically defined ...
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Another formula for the Schwinger term — problems with a calculation
$\DeclareMathOperator\Tr{Tr}$I have a problem with understanding the proof of Proposition 6.8 in the book ,,Elements of Noncommutative Geometry''. One can find the formulation of this proposition here ...
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CCR vs. CAR vs. Clifford algebras, infinite tensor products and type of the corresponding von Neumann algebra
$\newcommand\CAR{\mathit{CAR}}\newcommand\Cl{\mathbb C\mathit l}$This question will be rather long and it will be my attempt to finally clarify many issues concerning CCR, CAR and Clifford algebras ...
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Proving that a product of reflections and an orthogonal matrix is in $\mathrm{SO}_*(V)$
Let $V=(V,b)$ be a finite-dimensional vector space equipped with $b$ a symmetric and positive definite bilinear form. And let $\{e_1,\dotsc,e_n\}$ be a orthonormal basis for the subspace $\ker((P_A)^t)...
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Efficient computation of scalar part in Clifford algebra
$\DeclareMathOperator\Cl{Cl}$Problem: Let $\Cl(d)$ be the Clifford algebra corresponding to the vector space $\mathbb{R}^d$ with the usual inner product. Given $v_1, \dotsc, v_k \in \mathbb{R}^d$, ...
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The inner product of a Clifford Algebra
Any Clifford algebra $\operatorname{Cl}(k, p)$ carries an induced inner product, which is the "trace" on its 0-blade: $\langle AB\rangle_0$ for given elements $A, B$ of the algebra.
This inner ...
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Trace of six gamma matrices
I need to calculate this expression:
$$Tr(\gamma^{\mu}\gamma^{\nu}\gamma^{\rho}\gamma^{\sigma}\gamma^{\alpha}\gamma^{\beta}\gamma^{5}) $$
I know that I can express this as:
$$ Tr(\gamma^{\mu}\gamma^{\...
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Example of nice isomorphism between Cl$_{p,q}(\mathbb R)$ and matrix algebras over $\mathbb R,\mathbb C,\mathbb H,\mathbb R^2,\mathbb C^2,\mathbb H^2$
$\DeclareMathOperator\Cl{Cl}$It is known that every Clifford Algebra $\Cl(Q)$ over the real numbers where $Q: \mathbb R^n \to \mathbb R$ is a non-degenerate quadratic form is isomorphic to a matrix ...
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Bott periodicity in characteristic p via Clifford algebras
I am currently reading Husemoller's wonderful book on fibre bundles, specifically the section on Clifford algebras. He defines these groups $L_k$ as follows. Let $M_k$ denote the free abelian groups ...
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Clifford algebras as deformations of exterior algebras
$\def\Cl{\mathcal C\ell}
\def\CL{\boldsymbol{\mathscr{C\kern-.1eml}}(\mathbb R)}$
I'm not an expert in neither of the fields I'm touching, so don't be too rude with me :-) here's my question.
A well ...
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Clifford Algebra - axiomatic definition by Hestenes
I am reading David Hestenes' book "Clifford Algebra to Geometric Calculus" and am already getting stuck on the first few pages.
My university math is rusty and I've never studied Clifford ...
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Decomposition of a bivector of a Lorentzian manifold [closed]
In the case of the $(1, -1, -1, -1)$ metric, a bivector (or a 2-form) $F$ decomposes uniquely as the sum of two orthogonal simple bivectors if $F^2 \ne 0$.
I have the impression that it is very little ...
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What's "geometric algebra"?
Sometimes one bumps into the name "geometric algebra" (henceforth "GA"), in the sense of this Wikipedia article. Other names appear in that context such as "vector manifold", "pseudoscalar", and "...
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Non-associative Clifford algebra
Let $V$ be a finite-dimensional $\mathbb{R}$ vector space equipped with a symmetric, bilinear form $b : V \times V \to \mathbb{R}$.
My question is if there exists an analog of a Clifford algebra in ...
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Integral representation of cochains and a theorem of Hopf
The classical theorem of Hopf asserts that for any
n-dimensional CW-complex $K$, there is an isomorphism
between homotopy classes from $K$ to the sphere $S^n$ and
the nth singular cohomology group:
$$
...
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Relationship with between Clifford multiplication and pullback
Let $X$ be a smooth vector field on the even-dimensional sphere $S^n$. Let $S(TS^n)=S^+(TS^n)\oplus S^-(TS^n)$ be the spinor bundle over $S^n$ equipped with a bundle metric that is compatible with the ...
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Problem concerning about an $n$-subspace of $ A_{n}(F) $
Let $A_{n}(F) $ denote the $n \times n$ skew symmetric matrices over a finite field $F$. Suppose $n$ be even and $N$ be a subspace of $A_{n}(F) $. Now if all the non-zero matrices in $N$ are ...
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Walsh-Lebesgue type theorem in $\Bbb R^{2m}$ for $m>1$
Is someone aware of any analogue of the Walsh-Lebesgue theorem in $\mathbb{R}^{2m}$ for $m>1$ and dealing with polyharmonic polynomials?
In this post, $\phi$ is said to be polyharmonic in $\mathbb{...
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Examples of Clifford modules
For a Riemannian manifold $M$, a Clifford module is a bundle over $M$ that is, fiberwise, a representation of the Clifford algebra bundle $\mathrm{Cl}(TM)$ and has a connection compatible with this ...
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Identifying a $4$-form on a $6$-dimensional manifold
Let $M$ be a closed $6$-dimensional Riemannian manifold with a spin$^{\mathbb{C}}$ structure. It is known that real $4$-forms on $M$ act on the positive-spinors as trace-free hermitian endomorphisms ...
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Can one extend the norm function to the symmetric square of a (complexified) Clifford algebra?
Let $A = Cl_{r,s} \otimes \mathbb{C}$ be the complexification of the real Clifford algebra $Cl_{r,s}$ associated to a non-degenerate quadratic form on $\mathbb{R}^n$, with $n = r+s$, with signature $(...
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Finding inverses in Clifford Algebras
Let $C = \operatorname{Cl}(V,q)$ be a Clifford algebra where $V$ is an $N$-dimensional space with basis $B = \{e_1,e_2, \dotsc, e_N\}$. I'm looking for a way to invert elements.
What I've already ...
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Clifford multiplication formula for $d\beta$ where $\beta$ is a $3$-form
Say $X$ be a $6$-dimensional compact Riemannian manifold which admits a $Spin^{\mathbb{C}}$ structure. Now I want to have a Clifford multiplication formula by $d\beta$ in terms of $\beta$ where $\beta$...
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Gamma matrices are irreducible
For $\mu=0,1,2,3$, let $\gamma^{\mu}$ the set of Dirac gamma matrices. What does it mean to say that $\{\gamma^{\mu}: \hspace{0.1cm} \mu=0,1,2,3\}$ is irreducible?
From my previous question, I know ...
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What is the relationship between the Dirac algebra and the Clifford algebra?
While I'm still trying to understand the issues raised on my previous question, I decided to first address the Clifford algebra used on formulating the famous Dirac equation. In this context, what is ...
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How are Clifford algebras and spinors used to study the Ising model?
I've heard Clifford algebras and spinors are useful tools to study the Ising model, but I've never find any good discussion on this matter. Also, as far as I know, in the original solutions of the 2-D ...
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