Questions tagged [spin-geometry]

For questions about spin manifolds, the groups $\operatorname{Spin}(n)$, as well as generalisations such as $\operatorname{Pin}^{\pm}(n)$ and $\operatorname{Spin}^c(n)$. This tag should also be used for any questions about the geometry of spin manifolds, including questions involving Dirac operators and the Lichnerowicz formula.

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5 votes
1 answer
322 views

Understanding the quadratic part in Seiberg Witten equation

Lets take a closed four manifold $M:=\Sigma_1\times \Sigma_2,$ where $\Sigma_i$s are compact Riemann surfaces. Now if $V$ and $W$ are Spin$^\mathbb{C}$ bundles on $\Sigma_1$ and $\Sigma_2$ ...
8 votes
0 answers
215 views

Computation of the 3-dimensional $\mathbb{Z}/m$-equivariant spin cobordism group (with possibly non-empty fixed-point set)?

$\newcommand{\odd}{\mathrm{odd}}\newcommand{\ev}{\mathrm{ev}}$Consider tuples of the form $(Y,\mathfrak{s},\widehat{\sigma})$ where: $Y$ is a closed oriented 3-manifold, $\mathfrak{s}$ is a spin ...
1 vote
0 answers
132 views

Automorphism group of indefinite orthogonal Lie group $G=O(p,q)$ vs that of a double covering group $\tilde{G}$

Previously I mentioned in Automorphism group of a Lie group $G$ vs that of a double covering group $\tilde{G}$: same or not? that the automorphism group of a Lie group 𝐺 may be the same as that of ...
6 votes
0 answers
189 views

A generalized Dirac operator

Let $(M^4,g)$ be a closed four-dimensional Riemannian manifold and $J$ be an almost complex structure on $M$. Then for normal coordinate $e_1,\dots e_4$ at a point $m,$ and for a section $\alpha$ of a ...
6 votes
3 answers
805 views

Is a spin structure on a knot complement the same thing as an orientation of the knot?

There are a variety of characterizations of spin structures on the tangent bundle of a manifold. Two facts about them: Spin structures on $TM$ are an affine space over $H^1(M; \mathbb{Z}/2\mathbb{Z})$...
3 votes
1 answer
373 views

Pull back of Spin$^{\mathbb{C}}$ bundle

Let $M$ be a closed $4$-d Riemannian manifold and $Z$ be its twistor space of $M$, i.e., the bundle of almost complex structures on $M$. Let $V$ be a Spin$^{\mathbb{C}}$ bundle, $V_+$ denote the ...
4 votes
1 answer
275 views

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 ...
4 votes
1 answer
287 views

Atiyah-Bott-Shapiro generalization to $U(n) \to ({Spin(2n) \times U(1)})/{\mathbf{Z}/4}$ for $n=2k+1$

Atiyah, Bott, and Shapiro paper on Clifford Modules around page 10 shows two facts. 1 - There is a lift $U(n) \to Spin^c(2n)$ from $U(n) \to SO(2n)\times U(1)$. Also an embedding (injective group ...
1 vote
1 answer
186 views

Injective group homomorphism on $\frac{Spin(4k+2)\times U(1)}{\mathbf{Z}/2}$ or $\frac{Spin(4k+2)\times U(1)}{\mathbf{Z}/4}\to U(2^{2k})$

$\DeclareMathOperator\Spin{Spin}\DeclareMathOperator\SU{SU}\DeclareMathOperator\U{U}\DeclareMathOperator\SL{SL}\DeclareMathOperator\SO{SO}$From Pierre Deligne's Notes on spinors, we can see that there ...
8 votes
0 answers
276 views

Infinitely many nonempty Seiberg-Witten moduli spaces

The classic "finiteness" statement in Seiberg-Witten (SW) theory is that, for any smooth closed connected 4-manifold, there are only finitely many spin-c structures with nontrivial SW ...
7 votes
2 answers
606 views

What is a formal definition of a Fermionic quantum field?

I could not locate a definition of Fermionic quantum field (like for an electron!) in even Kevin Costello's book, http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.382.4961&rep=rep1&...
1 vote
0 answers
37 views

Extending the Dirac operator on an open subset of a manifold and preserving positivity

Let $M$ be a spin manifold and $U\subseteq M$ an open ball. Let $D$ be the Dirac operator on $M$ with respect to some Riemannian metric $g$, acting on sections of the spinor bundle $S\to M$. Suppose ...
1 vote
0 answers
75 views

Equivalence of $Spin^C$-Structures

I'm trying to understand the equivalence of $Spin^C(n)$-structures in the book "Dirac Operators in Riemannian Geometry" by Thomas Friedrich, p. 47 ff, but I got somehow stuck because I'm not ...
5 votes
1 answer
528 views

A corollary of the non-existence of positive scalar curvature

I've been done some work with scalar curvature and managed to give a simple proof for the following result: Let $M$ be a closed manifold which do not admit a metric of positive scalar curvature. Then ...
3 votes
0 answers
241 views

Research in spin geometry

I am currently learning differential geometry, but I have heard about the field of spin geometry and have skimmed through the book Dirac Operators in Riemannian Geometry by Thomas Friedrich. I have ...
0 votes
0 answers
112 views

Dirac operator on a 5 dimensional tangent manifold with a $Spin(3)$-bundle

In p.3 of Witten paper from this Physics Letters B, Volume 117, Issue 5, 18 November 1982, Pages 324-328 Physics Letters B, 117(5), 324–328, he says that about the Dirac equation on a 5-dimensional ...
7 votes
1 answer
263 views

Visualizing the wave operator in two dimensions

For $n\geq 1$, let $D_n$ be the Dirac operator on the spinor bundle on the $n$-dimensional sphere $S^n$. For example, $D_1$ acts on the trivial bundle $S^1\times\mathbb{C}\to S^1$, and can be ...
0 votes
0 answers
131 views

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 $\beta$...
4 votes
0 answers
372 views

Comparison between spinor representations in $\operatorname{SL}(2,\mathbb C)=\operatorname{Spin}(1,3)$ and $\operatorname{Spin}(4)$

$\DeclareMathOperator\Spin{Spin}\DeclareMathOperator\SL{SL}\DeclareMathOperator\SU{SU}$We know that $$ \Spin(1,3)=\SL(2,\mathbb C) $$ and $$ \Spin(4)=\SU(2) \times \SU(2). $$ The $\Spin(1,3)$ is the ...
3 votes
1 answer
342 views

The normalizer of SU(n) in U(m)?

$\DeclareMathOperator\SU{SU}\DeclareMathOperator\U{U}\DeclareMathOperator\Spin{Spin}$Consider the special unitary group $\SU(5)$ and the unitary group $\U(16)$. Below I specify a specfic way to embed $...
2 votes
0 answers
108 views

The centralizer and normalizer of products of (Spin(n) $\times \dots$) in U(m)

$\DeclareMathOperator\SU{SU}\DeclareMathOperator\U{U}\DeclareMathOperator\Spin{Spin}$ Consider the spin group $\Spin(n)$ and the unitary group $\U(16)$. Below I specify a specfic way to embed $(\Spin(...
3 votes
0 answers
102 views

Spin structures induced on embedded circles and choices of trivialisations

I have a presumably basic question concerning spin structures that has me a bit confused. Let $C$ be a circle embedded in a spun manifold $X^n$. Given a choice of trivialisation of the normal bundle ...
1 vote
1 answer
263 views

The normalizer of $\operatorname{Spin}(2N)$ in $\operatorname{U}(2^{N-1})$?

$\DeclareMathOperator\U{U}\DeclareMathOperator\Spin{Spin}$ I can show that $$ \U(2^{N-1})\supset \Spin(2N) $$ when $2N > 4$ or a positive integer $N > 2$, so $\Spin(2N)$ can be embedded in $\U(2^...
2 votes
1 answer
202 views

Clarification of different notions of spin structures

$\DeclareMathOperator\SO{SO}\DeclareMathOperator\Spin{Spin}$I am confused about the equivalence of some various definitions of spin structures and I was hoping for some help clearing out the fog. Let ...
2 votes
1 answer
340 views

Clifford multiplication formula on an almost complex manifold

$\DeclareMathOperator\End{End}$Following the deduction by John W. Morgan in his book The Seiberg–Witten equations and applications to the topology of smooth four manifolds, an almost complex manifold $...
1 vote
0 answers
169 views

Central extensions of orthogonal group by $C_2$

Suppose $(V,Q)$ is a quadratic space for definite quadratic form $Q$. It is stated in Pin groups that there are two central extensions of the orthogonal group $O(V)$ by the cyclic group $C_2$, ...
2 votes
2 answers
229 views

Induced action by an involution on spinor bundle and Dirac operator

Let $M$ be a $4n$-dimensional spin manifold with a fixed Riemannian metric $g$. Let $S$ be a spinor bundle over $M$ and fix the Riemannian connection on it. There is a decomposition $S=S^+\oplus S^-$, ...
2 votes
0 answers
221 views

Bryant-Salamon $G_2$ manifold on the spinor bundle over $S^3$

I am trying to understand the spaces constructed in R. L. Bryant and S. M. Salamon, On the construction of some complete metrics with exceptional holonomy. My first problem is, essentially, about ...
17 votes
2 answers
603 views

An orientable non-spin${}^c$ manifold with a spin${}^c$ covering space

Is there a closed, smooth, orientable manifold which is not spin${}^c$ but has a finite cover which is spin${}^c$? Such examples exist when spin${}^c$ is replaced by spin: an Enriques surface is not ...
22 votes
2 answers
1k views

If the universal cover of a manifold is spin, must it admit a finite cover which is spin?

If $M$ is non-orientable, then it has a finite cover which is orientable (in particular, the orientable double cover). If $M$ is non-spin, then it does not necessarily have a finite cover which is ...
13 votes
2 answers
788 views

What is the relationship between spinors and supermanifolds and fermions?

I have the following two impressions about fermions in physics. I'm confused about their accuracy, and their compatibility: To consider the behavior of a fermion, whose intrinsic spin is described by ...
10 votes
3 answers
708 views

Spin-H structures

Let us define a Spin-H structure as a reduction of a SO(n)-bundle by the group: $$Spin^H (n)=Spin(n) \times SU(2)/\{ 1,-1\}$$ The Spin-H structures are analogous to the well-known Spin-C structures ...
6 votes
2 answers
893 views

Action of the spin covariant derivative on gamma matrices?

How does the spin covariant derivative $\nabla^S_{\mu}$ act on gamma matrices satisfying: $\{\gamma^{\mu},\gamma^{\nu}\} = g^{\mu\nu}$, i.e. $$\nabla^S_{\mu}\gamma^{\nu} = ?$$ where $\nabla^S := \...
7 votes
1 answer
194 views

Manifolds with $w_1(TM)\cup w_1(TM)=0$ and $w_2(TM)=0$ but $w_1(TM)\neq 0$

For a generic dimension $d$, is there an nonorientable manifold $M$ (i.e. $w_1(TM)\neq 0$) with vanishing $w_1(TM)\cup w_1(TM)$ and $w_2(TM)$, i.e., $$w_1(TM)\cup w_1(TM)=0, ~~~~~ w_2(TM)=0, ~~~~~w_1(...
3 votes
0 answers
453 views

Why in $S^2$ is there no spin structure? [closed]

For a Dirac fermion (spin half) on $S^2$, we have both the general covariant derivatives and the relativistic Hamitonian. What does the claim "in $S^2$ there is no spin structure" means? A reference ...
7 votes
1 answer
350 views

Spectral gaps for spin manifold Laplace spectrum

For a (compact) spin manifold, we know that the eigenvalues $\lambda_n$ of the Dirac operator are countable, with finite multiplicity, and satisfy $$ |\lambda_n| \to \infty, ~~~ \text{ as } n \to \...
6 votes
0 answers
198 views

Spin structure using flag manifolds instead of a Riemannian metric

Let $(M,g)$ be an oriented Riemannian manifold of dimension $n$, and denote by $P_{\mathrm{SO}}\to M$ its oriented frame bundle. The usual definition of a spin structure is the data of a principal $\...
9 votes
1 answer
293 views

Topological Spin manifolds in dimension 4

In his ICM Adress at Nice (Proceedings of the International Congress of Mathematicians Nice, September, 1970, Gauthier-Villars, editeur, Paris 6 e ,1971, Volume 2, pp. 133-163.), Robion Kirby ...
4 votes
0 answers
169 views

Understanding $w_2$ as an obstruction to trivializing the tangent bundle over 2-cells

I am reading through "A Geometric Proof of Rochlin's Theorem", and it is occurring to me, again, that I don't understand spin structures / $w_2$. My confusion arrises in, naturally, the proof of ...
6 votes
0 answers
324 views

Can spin structures and Arf invariants be defined in terms of local quantities, like Chern classes and Chern numbers?

I'm interested in if it's possible to represent a spin structure and the Arf invariant associated to it in terms of some sort of local fields. For example, the first Chern class of a complex line ...
21 votes
2 answers
823 views

Does Spin cobordism vanish in dimension $4k-1$?

For the purposes of a remark in a paper in preparation, I would like to know if anyone can confirm that $\Omega^{spin}_{4k-1} = 0$. In the Atiyah-Patodi-Singer paper, Spectral asymmetry and ...
19 votes
2 answers
4k views

Exact Definition of Dirac Operator

Many definitions of the Dirac operator in the tradition of the Physics literature are hard to grasp for a mathematician. I would like to ask for a precise, general, definition of the Dirac operator ...
3 votes
0 answers
45 views

Embedding of Riemannian symmetric spaces $E_I$ and $E_{IV}$ into Lie group $E_6$

In answer and comments to this mathoverflow question we have discussed possiblity of embedding Riemmanian symmetric spaces $E_I, E_{II}, E_{III},E_{IV}$ of dimension $42,40,32,26$ respectively into $...
2 votes
0 answers
308 views

First Chern Class of Contact Structure which is not Torsion

Let $(M,\xi)$ be a closed connected $3-$dimensional contact manifold with contact structure $\xi$. It is known that the first Chern class $c_{1}(\xi)$ defines an element in $H^{2}(M;\mathbb{Z})$ and ...
4 votes
2 answers
831 views

$spin_{\mathbb{C}}$ Connection and Charge Parity

From the paper "Gapped Boundary Phases of Topological Insulators via Weak Coupling" on page 11, https://arxiv.org/abs/1602.04251 the authors states that on a curved manifold with a $spin_{\mathbb{C}}...
2 votes
0 answers
194 views

Existence of a certain kind of compact spin manifold with boundary

For a compact spin Riemannian manifold $(M^n,g)$ without boundary, $n \not\equiv 3\mod 4$, it is well-known that the Dirac operator associated with a fixed spin structure $S\rightarrow M$ has real, ...
9 votes
0 answers
196 views

An equivalent definition for $\text{Spin}^c$-structures

I'm interested in proving the following proposition ([G], Remark page 48): Prop: A $\text{Spin}^c$-structure over an oriented vector bundle is equivalent (after stabilizing if the fiber dimension ...
10 votes
1 answer
355 views

Discrete Pin structures

It is clear that an oriented manifold $M^n$ (with dimension $n$) admits spin structures if and only if its second Stiefel-Whitney class $[w^2]\in H^2(M,\mathbb Z_2)$ vanishes. In the construction of ...
6 votes
0 answers
215 views

Arf-Brown-Kervaire invariant and a surjective map $G \to Pin^-$

We know that the Arf-Brown-Kervaire (abk) invariant is a bordism invariant of $$ \Omega_2^{Pin^-}(pt)=\mathbb{Z}/(8\mathbb{Z}), $$ where the $\mathbb{Z}/(8\mathbb{Z})$ is generated by a 2-manifold $M^...
4 votes
1 answer
990 views

Spin groups in terms of matrices and/or linear operators

Thus far, the books and articles I have read dealing with spin groups $\mathbf{Spin}(n)$ and $\mathbf{Spin}(p,q)$ consider them only in terms of either Clifford algebras or topologically as the double ...