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I am looking for all the scalar conformal invariants (diffeomorphism-invariant polynomials $P[g]$ in the metric $g_{ij}$, its inverse $g^{ij}$ and its derivatives $g_{ij,klm\dots}$ such that $P[\lambda g] = \lambda^w P[g]$ where $\lambda =\lambda(x)>0$) in $d=3$ of conformal weight $-3/2$. These can be integrated over by multiplying them by the square root of the determinant of the metric. Since the latter has weight $+3/2$ ($g_{ij} \to \lambda g_{ij} $ $\Rightarrow$ $\sqrt{\det g} \to \lambda^{3/2} \sqrt{\det g}$), these integrals are conformal invariants of our Riemannian manifold. I thought the Fefferman--Graham classification should give the answer but I couldn't figure it out. I am particularly confused about the non-integer weight that is needed in order to compensate the transformation of the volume element. If the invariants are polynomials, shouldn't their conformal weight always be integer?

Thanks in advance to everyone.

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  • $\begingroup$ To clarify: Are you asking for scale-invariant quantities for a Riemannian metric (i.e., you require that $\lambda$ be a positive constant in the above weight formulae) or are you asking for conformally invariant quantities (i.e., you allow $\lambda$ to be any positive function in the above formulae)? Also, you only mentioned first derivatives of $g_{ij}$, but presumably you meant to allow higher derivatives as well, yes? $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 18, 2017 at 13:07
  • $\begingroup$ I'm asking for conformally invariant quantities (i.e. $\lambda = \lambda(x)$. $\endgroup$
    – Spinoro
    Commented Feb 18, 2017 at 13:53
  • $\begingroup$ And I didn't mean first derivatives only, sorry that was a mistake. Any order of derivatives: $g_{ij,k}$, $g_{ij,kl}$... $\endgroup$
    – Spinoro
    Commented Feb 18, 2017 at 13:54

1 Answer 1

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Thanks for the clarifications. Unfortunately, there are no nontrivial scalar conformal invariants subject to the restrictions that you have placed on their form, i.e., that the coordinate expression $P[g]$ should be polynomial in $g_{ij}$ and its derivatives plus $\det(g_{ij})^{-1}$. You have to allow more complicated expressions than polynomials if you want scalar conformal invariants.

For example, the lowest order tensorial invariant of a conformal structure in dimension $3$ is the Cotton-York tensor $C[g]$, which is a third-order polynomial invariant that is a section of the bundle $$T^*M\otimes\Lambda^2(T^*M) = T^*M\otimes TM\otimes\Lambda^3(T^*M)= \mathrm{End}(TM)\otimes \Lambda^3(T^*M).$$ Unfortunately, the 'trace contraction' $\mathrm{tr}\bigl(C[g])\bigr)$, which is a section of $\Lambda^3(T^*M)$ (and so would be a $3$-form that you could integrate over $M$), vanishes identically.

The trace of the square $C[g]^2$ is a section of $\bigl(\Lambda^3(T^*M)\bigr)^{\otimes2}$ and hence is the square of a density $\sigma_2[g]$ that could be integrated over $M$, but the coefficient of $\sigma_2[g]$ in local coordinates is not a differential polynomial of the type you want; rather, it is the square root of such a polynomial. Similarly, the trace of $C[g]^3$ is the cube of a $3$-form $\sigma_3[g]$, but, again, the coefficient of $\sigma_3[g]$ in local coordinates is not polynomial of the type that you want.

Finally, it can be shown by tensor analysis that, even if you consider arbitrary higher order derivatives, you cannot get a nontrivial polynomial scalar conformal invariant of the weight you want.

N.B. (Added note for clarity.) Even if one enlarges the possibilities by throwing in the square root of $\det(g_{ij})$ (which is useful in the Riemannian case to, say, define the volume form and the Hodge star, etc.) one still cannot get a nontrivial conformally invariant $3$-form $\sigma[g]$ such that, in local coordinates $x=(x^i)$ on $M^3$, the 3-form $\sigma[g]$ is of the form $$\sigma[g] = F(g_{ij},\det(g_{ij})^{-1/\ell},g_{ij,k},g_{ij,kl},\ldots) \,\mathrm{d}x^1\wedge \mathrm{d}x^2\wedge \mathrm{d}x^3, $$ where $\ell>0$ is an integer and $F$ is some 'universal' polynomial in its arguments (finite in number).

The argument that this is so follows from general facts about the normal Cartan connection $\omega: B\to {\mathfrak{so}}(4,1)$, where $B\to M$ is the canonical parabolic bundle over $M$ associated to the conformal structure $[g]$, as defined by Cartan. (A reasonable reference for this might be Cap and Slovak's 2009 book Parabolic Geometries: Background and general theory.)

The point is that any differential invariant scalar $3$-form $\sigma[g]$ on $M$ would pull up to $B$ to be expressed as a semi-basic $3$-form in the canonical coframing whose coefficient $C_\sigma$ would be expressed as a 'universal' function of the $\omega$-curvature functions $C_{ijk}=-C_{ikj}$ on $B$ and their $\omega$-derivatives up to some finite order. If, in local coordinates, $\sigma[g]$ were polynomial of the above type, then the coefficient $C_\sigma$ would necessarily be a polynomial in the $C_{ijk}$ and their $\omega$-derivatives of weight $-3$. Now, the $C_{ijk}$ already have weight $-3$, and their $\omega$-derivatives have strictly lower weight, so the only possibility for a polyomial of weight $-3$ would be a linear expression in the $C_{ijk}$ alone. However, up to a constant multiple, the only $\mathrm{SO}(3)$-invariant linear expression is $C_{123}+C_{231}+C_{312}$, which vanishes identically.

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  • $\begingroup$ I see that the problem is with the square root in the volume form. What if I use frame fields (i.e. vielbeins - triads, in $d=3$, $e^a_i$such that $g_{ij} = e^a_i e^b_j \delta_{ab}$ where $\delta_{ab}$ is the $3d$ Euclidean metric)? In these variables the volume form is polynomial. I could assume polynomiality in the frame fields and their arbitrary derivatives. Would that give some nontrivial invariant integrals? $\endgroup$
    – Spinoro
    Commented Feb 18, 2017 at 16:38
  • $\begingroup$ @FlavioMercati: No, using frame fields won't solve this problem. Unfortunately, no nontrivial tensorial conformal invariant that is a $3$-form can be expressed as a polynomial in the derivatives of $g_{ij}$ whose coefficients are any expressions in the $g_{ij}$ themselves, in particular the kinds of expressions that you would get if you used an orthogonal frame field instead of a coordinate frame field. If you allow roots of polynomials in the derivatives, though, there are many such invariants. $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 18, 2017 at 17:12
  • $\begingroup$ I don't understand the statement ``in particular the kinds of expressions that you would get if you used an orthogonal frame field instead of a coordinate frame field'': the frame fields are not polynomial in $g_{ij}$, and I was proposing to take sums of products of $e^a_i$ and $\partial_j e^a_i$, $\partial_j\partial_k e^a_i$, etc. Thanks again for your patience. $\endgroup$
    – Spinoro
    Commented Feb 18, 2017 at 17:57
  • $\begingroup$ @FlavioMercati: What I meant was "the expressions that you get that are invariantly defined 3-forms" (in particular, independent of the choice of frame field). Of course, the intermediate expressions depend on the frame field, but you want a 'scalar' tensor in the end that doesn't depend on the frame field, but only on the conformal structure, and what I'm saying is that that final expression can't be polynomial in in the frame field and its arbitrary derivatives. $\endgroup$ Commented Feb 18, 2017 at 20:06
  • $\begingroup$ OK thank you. If you have a reference to suggest for this last statement and the main claim as well I would appreciate. One more thing: I think the Chern-Simons form actually is an exception to the main claim isn't it? It's a conformally invariant 3-form which is polynomial in the metric, its inverse and its derivatives. Is that wrong? $\endgroup$
    – Spinoro
    Commented Feb 18, 2017 at 20:47

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