All Questions
Tagged with dg.differential-geometry connections
19 questions
110
votes
6
answers
16k
views
When can a connection Induce a Riemannian metric for which it is the Levi-Civita connection?
As we all know, for a Riemannian manifold $(M,g)$, there exists a unique torsion-free connection $\nabla_g$, the Levi-Civita connection, that is compatible with the metric.
I was wondering if one can ...
- 3,399
43
votes
5
answers
8k
views
A geometric interpretation of the Levi-Civita connection?
Let $M$ be a Riemannian manifold. There exists a unique torsion-free connection in the (co)tangent bundle of $M$ such that the metric of $M$ is covariantly constant. This connection is called the Levi-...
- 23.5k
15
votes
2
answers
1k
views
When is a flow geodesic and how to construct the connection from it
Let $(M,\Gamma)$ be a $C^\infty$ $n$ dimensional real manifold with a linear connection $\Gamma$ on it. I know the following:
If $\gamma:[t_0,t_1]\rightarrow M$ is a smooth curve and is a geodesic, ...
- 2,792
29
votes
4
answers
4k
views
Rolling without slipping interpretation of torsion
This is, in a sense, a follow up to this question.
Hehl and Obukhov try to give an intuitive description of torsion. I am confused about their description. I am looking at the following paragraph on ...
- 156k
20
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Can a manifold have a curvature-free connection that is not torsion-free?
Suppose I have a smooth manifold with a tangent bundle, and I have a connection. If this connection is curvature-free, is it guaranteed to be torsion-free? (I am not assuming a metric, just a finite-...
- 1,491
43
votes
5
answers
9k
views
What is the Levi-Civita connection trying to describe?
I have seen similar questions, but none of the answers relate to my difficulty, which I will now proceed to convey.
Let $(M,g)$ be a Riemannian manifolds. The Levi-Civita connection is the unique ...
- 2,071
21
votes
3
answers
5k
views
Geometrical meaning of the Ricci Tensor and its Symmetry
Let $M$ be a smooth, pseudo-Riemannian manifold with $\dim(M) \ge 2.$ Let $\nabla$ be any affine connection on $M$. No reason for it to be the Levi-Civita connection. All we assume is that it has zero ...
- 581
13
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Intuition for Levi-Civita connection?
Levi-Civita connection is usually defined as the unique connection which is torsion free and preserves metric.
Question Is there some intuitively transparent constructive way to define it (or ...
- 24.9k
12
votes
3
answers
705
views
Modern treatment of Dirac monopoles and related topics
I know that the topic is classical and even "folklore", but many treatments make use of local coordinates and such treatments are rather messy. Could somewhere maybe provide some reference(s)...
- 5,215
11
votes
1
answer
7k
views
Geometric interpretation of horizontal and vertical lift of vector field
In many References such as D.E. Blair, Riemannian Geometry of Contact and Symplectic Manifolds chapter 9, and Differential Geometric Structures
By Walter A. Poor Page 54; the horizontal and vertical ...
- 4,195
10
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Global description of the Levi-Civita connection
I'm interested in finding a global (coordinate-free) description of the Levi-Civita connection on a (possibly infinite-dimensional) Riemannian manifold X.
I'm not looking for a description of this ...
- 8,803
7
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Atiyah Sequence and Connections on a Principal Bundle
Let $G$ be a Lie group and $\pi:E_G\rightarrow M $ be a principal $G$-bundle.
I have seen in many places that a connection on $(E_G,M,G)$ is a splitting of the Atiyah sequence
$$ 0\rightarrow \text{...
- 6,023
7
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Symmetric Ricci Tensor
Let $M$ be a pseudo-Riemannian manifold. Assume that $M$ comes with a zero-torsion affine connexion $\nabla.$ There is no need for $\nabla$ to be the Levi-Civita connexion. Recall that the curvature ...
- 581
4
votes
2
answers
726
views
Obstructions to the existence of a flat connection on a vector bundle
Given a smooth manifold $M$ and a smooth vector bundle $E \to M$ (with real or complex fibers), what are known obstructions to the existence of a flat connection on $E \to M$? If all known ...
3
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Alternative (easier) Proof of Ambrose Singer Holonomy theorem
Let $P(M,G)$ be a principal bundle. Giving a connection on $P(M,G)$ means two equivalent things. One as an assignment of subspace of $T_pP$ for each $p\in P$ and another as a $\mathfrak{g}$ valued $1$ ...
- 6,023
3
votes
2
answers
322
views
Affine connections as equivariant maps
An affine torsion-free connection on a smooth manifold $M$ may be thought of as a section of an affine bundle whose associated vector bundle is $S^2(T^*M)\otimes TM$. One would think that this affine ...
user113646
2
votes
1
answer
271
views
Canonical connection on $\mathcal{A}\times X$
Let $E\rightarrow X$ be a vector bundle and let $\mathcal{A}$ denote the space of connections on $E$. Pulling back $E$ by the second projection we obtain a vector bundle $\mathbb{E}=p_2^*E\rightarrow ...
- 789
1
vote
0
answers
195
views
Can logarithmic connection on holomorphic vector bundle induce logarithmic connection on dual bundle?
Let $(X,\omega)$ be a compact K"ahler manifold of dimension $n$, and let $D=\sum_{i=1}^r D_i$ be a simple normal crossing divisor on it, i.e., a divisor with smooth components $D_i$ intersecting ...
- 295
0
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Line bundles with complex connection
Suppose that we have a complex manifold $X$, and a line bundle $L$ over $X$. It is known that the line bundles over $X$ are parametrized by their Chern class, the Chern class being the cohomology ...
- 1,025