Questions tagged [differential-forms]
A differential form $ \omega$ is a section of the exterior algebra $\Lambda^* T^* X$ of a cotangent bundle,
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Geometric imagination of differential forms
In order to explain to non-experts what a vector field is, one usually describes an assignment of an arrow to each point of space. And this works quite well also when moving to manifolds, where a ...
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Is there any way to rewrite a partial differential equation using language of differential forms, tensors, etc?
My question is: usually, a partial differential equation, for example, those coming from physics, is written in a language of vector calculus in a local coordinate. Is there any way (or any algorithm) ...
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Integration and Stokes' theorem for vector bundle-valued differential forms?
Is there a version of Stokes' theorem for vector bundle-valued (or just vector-valued) differential forms?
Concretely: Let $E \rightarrow M$ be a smooth vector bundle over an $n$-manifold $M$ equipped ...
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Hodge decomposition in Minkowski space
This question is motivated by the physical description of magnetic monopoles. I will give the motivation, but you can also jump to the last section.
Let us recall Maxwell’s equations: Given a semi-...
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How does one compute the space of algebraic global differential forms $\Omega^i(X)$ on an affine complex scheme $X$?
In 1963 Grothendieck introduced the algebraic de Rham cohomolog in a letter to Atiyah, later published in the Publications Mathématiques de l'IHES, N°29.
If $X$ is an algebraic scheme over $\mathbb C$...
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Hodge decomposition of smooth n-forms: is it an isomorphism of topological vector spaces?
Fix a compact Riemannian manifold $M$ (leaving the metric implicit). What I'd like to know is if the corresponding Hodge decomposition of smooth $n$-forms
$$
\Omega^n(M) \simeq \mathcal{H}^n(M)\oplus ...
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When is a given matrix of two forms a curvature form?
Let's assume we are working over $\mathbb{R}^n$ (but feel free to change to domain to answer the question). I wish to know if the equation $F = dA + A \wedge A$ can be solved for a matrix of 1-forms $...
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Reference for a proof of the fiberwise Stokes theorem
The fiberwise Stokes theorem says that given a differential form on a smooth fiber bundle whose fibers have boundary,
the difference between the fiberwise integral of the differential and the ...
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k-form: sum of wedge products of 1-forms?
Let M be a smooth manifold. Can every k-form $\omega$ on M be written as a sum of k-forms, that are wedge products of 1-forms, i.e. $\omega = \sum_{i=0}^n \alpha_1^{(i)} \wedge \ldots \wedge \alpha_k^{...
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Volume-minimizing submanifold implies calibrated?
Let $X$ be a smooth manifold of dimension $d$ and $M$ an oriented
submanifold of dimension $p < d$ so that the multiples k⋅M are absolutely minimizing $p$-volume in their integral homology classes ...
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Poynting vector and differential forms
It is well known that electromagnetic field is a 2-form and Maxwell's equation can be reformulated in language of differential forms.
What is the Poynting vector in this language?
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Visualizing holomorphic differentials on a compact Riemann surface?
It is a classical result that the vector space of holomorphic differentials on a compact Riemann surface of genus $g$ has dimension $g$. I am wondering if there is a way of visualizing this wonderful ...
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Different definitions for integral de Rham cohomology classes
Suppose that $S$ is a compact orientable surface. In this case, the top de Rham cohomology space $H^2(S)\cong \mathbb{R}$, with the isomorphism given by integration on $2$-forms along $S$.
Now, one ...
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Residues of $\frac{1}{\prod_{i=1}^n (x-P_i)^{e_i}}$
This is a problem occurring in my research about deformations of $\mathbb{Z}/p^n$-covers over a ring of power series. Given an algebraically closed field $k$ of characteristic $p>0$, suppose $1< ...
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The Construction of a Basis of Holomorphic Differential 1-forms for a given Planar Curve
Working over the complex numbers, consider a function $F\left(x,y\right)$ and a curve $C$ defined by $F\left(x,y\right)=0$.
I know that to construct the Jacobian variety associated to $C$, one ...
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When is the module of Kahler volume forms torsion-free?
Let $R$ be a commutative algebra over a field $k$. Denote the $R$-module of Kahler differentials by $\Omega^1_kR$; this is the $R$-module generated by symbols of the form $da$, $a\in R$, and ...
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Which differential forms commute with the curvature form?
Consider a vector bundle, $E \to M$, with connection, $\nabla$, and curvature $2$-form, $F$ on $M$. For $E$-valued differential forms on $M$, $\Omega(M, E)$, we have an exterior covariant derivative, ...
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Sobolev spaces of differential forms and regular atlases
In [1] (section 3), C. Scott introduces the following concept of regular atlas for closed $C^\infty$-smooth Riemannian manifolds. He says:
When referring to a coordinate system $(U,\phi)$ as regular, ...
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Odd differential forms
In de Rham's classical book "Variétés Différentiables"
de Rham, Georges, Variétés différentiables. Formes, courants, formes harmoniques. 3e éd. revue et augmentée, Publications de l’Institut de ...
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Hodge Laplacian in local coordinates
On a Riemannian Manifold $M^n$, the Hodge Laplacian is defined on k-forms by $\Delta\omega=\operatorname{d}\operatorname{d}^*\omega+\operatorname{d}^*\operatorname{d}\omega$. For 0-forms, e.i. smooth ...
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Countability assumption for good covers in Bott-Tu
In chapter II of their text Differential Forms in Algebraic Topology, Bott and Tu construct the Čech-De Rham complex with regards to an open covering indexed by some ordered and countable indexing set....
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Geometric definition of divergence using curvature mentioned in Tristan Needham
In page-479 of Visual Complex Analysis, Tristan Needham derives the flux of a vector field in Geometric form:
$$ \nabla \cdot X = \partial_s |X| + \kappa_p |X|$$
The $\partial_s$ is a derivative along ...
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Availability of a copy the first volume of Segre's "Forme differenziali e loro integrali"
I am precisely referring to the following, first volume of the textbook/lecture notes/monograph written by Beniamino Segre in the fifties of the twentieth century (I own a copy of the second volume)
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What do the differential k-forms on a product manifold look like?
I am interested in how I could express $\Omega^k( M \times N)$ in terms of $\Omega^i(M)$ and $\Omega^j(N)$ for $i,j = 0,1, \ldots k$. Is there a nice relation?
This question arose in the context of ...
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Condition on a differential form arising from the theory of elasticity
Let $D$ be the unit $n$-ball (for concreteness). Let $\beta\in\Omega^1(D;R^n)$ be an $R^n$-valued one-form, having full rank (viewed as a section of $T^*D\otimes R^n$). Under what conditions on $\beta$...
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Differential forms on standard simplices via Whitney extension vs diffeological structure
The standard simplices $\Delta^n \subset \{\mathbf{x}\in\mathbb{R}^{n+1}\mid x_0 + \ldots + x_n =1 \} =: \mathbb{A}^n$ carry two natural sorts of smooth differential forms:
Those differential forms ...
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Simple identity on Lie algebras in a note of Koszul
In a 1947 Comptes Rendus note (T224, p. 448), Koszul makes the following claim (paraphrased, hopefully correctly), which seems like it should have a simple proof I am missing.
Given a compact, ...
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What is the geometric significance of the definition of supermanifold?
We know that a supermanifold $M$ is a locally ringed space $(M,O_M)$ which is locally isomorphic to $(U,C^\infty(U) \otimes \wedge W^\ast)$, where $U$ is an open subset of $\mathbb{R}^n$, $W$ is a ...
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Theorems similar to Tischler fibering theorem
Tischler theorem states that the existence of a nowhere vanishing closed $1$-form in a compact manifold $M$ implies that the manifold fibers over $S^1$. Do you know any other differential topology ...
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Albanese morphism induces an isomorphism on global $1$-forms
Let $X$ be a smooth projective variety over a field $k$ of characteristic zero equipped with a point $e\in X(k)$. There is Albanese morphism $a:X\to \mathrm{Alb}\,X$ which is initial among pointed ...
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A cohomology associated to a vector field on a Riemannian manifold
Edit: Accoring to the comment of Asura Path I revise the question.
Let $X$ be a vector field on a Riemannian manifold $(M,g)$. So we have a $1$-form $\beta$ with $\beta(Y)=\langle Y,X\...
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Strange problem about triplets of differential forms
Suppose we have the following map:
$$(\Omega^1(\mathbb{R}^n))^3\longrightarrow(\Omega^2(\mathbb{R}^n))^3$$
$$(\alpha,\beta,\gamma)\longmapsto(\mathrm{d}\alpha+\beta\wedge\gamma,\mathrm{d}\beta+\...
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Densities, pseudoforms, absolute differential forms and measures, differential forms, etc
Apologies if this question is too basic, but I figured I first heard of most of these concepts on MO, so perhaps I can ask here.
Gelfand’s definition, copied from AlvarezPaiva [My edit, could be ...
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Tangential harmonic $1$-forms are pullbacks of harmonic functions
This question has also been posted on MSE, but maybe here is the right place to obtain an answer.
Let $(M^3,g)$ be a compact connected oriented Riemannian $3$-manifold with nonempty boundary. The ...
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Restriction of "Spin(7) 4-form" to $\mathbb{R}_+\times S^7$
I asked this question on stackexchange (https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/2212226/restriction-of-spin7-4-form-to-mathbbr-times-s7) but was advised to ask again here:
I'm currently reading ...
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Non-continuous differentiability for differential forms
Generally when working with differential forms, one assumes that they are continuously differentiable, i.e. $C^r$ for some $1\le r \le \infty$. Under this hypothesis, one can define the exterior ...
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Equivalence generated by Jacobian minors
Let $f,g:\mathbb{R}^m \to \mathbb{R}^n$ be two smooth functions and let $k$ be a strictly positive integer. Write $f \sim_k g$ if at each point in the domain, the determinants of all $k \times k$ ...
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Leafwise de Rham cohomology (A true definition of differential forms along leaves)
For a foliated space $(M, \mathcal{F})$, one associate a leafwise de Rham cohomology. This cohomology and trace-class operators on this cohomology and trace interpretations for closed orbits of ...
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Finding a volume form on a fibre of a submersion between oriented manifolds
Let $f:X\to Y$ be a submersion between orientable smooth manifolds of respective dimensions $n,p$ and let $j:M=f^{-1}(y)\hookrightarrow X$ denote the inclusion of some fibre of $f$.
My naïve (I am ...
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Is the pullback of differential forms on a compact manifold smooth tame as a map of Fréchet manifolds?
In Hamilton's paper on the Nash-Moser inverse function theorem he shows that if $M$ is a smooth compact manifold and $V\to M$ a smooth vector bundle then its smooth sections $\Gamma(V)$ equipped with ...
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On boundary-value problems for differential forms on a manifold
Let $M$ be a simply-connected $d$-dimensional Riemannian manifold with boundary (for simplicity assume a ball). Consider the boundary value problem for $\omega\in\Omega^k(M)$,
$$
d\omega = \alpha
\...
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Exact differential forms in characteristic $p>0$
Let $k$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic $p>0$. Suppose $1< e_i <p$ for $i=1,2, \ldots, n$ are integers ($n \ge 2$). What are the conditions on the $e_i$'s so that the ...
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Interpolating from a Hard Lefschetz class to a Kaehler class
Let $X$ be a compact smooth manifold that admits symplectic and Kaehler structures.
There is a paper by Ugarte, Rudyak, Tralle, and Ibanez, showing how the Lefschetz rank can vary along a path of ...
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Anti_symplectic 2-forms
A $2$- form $\alpha$ on a n- manifold $M$ is called anti symplectic if for every $x\in M$, $\{ v\in T_{x} M \mid i_{v} \alpha=0 \}$ is a $n-2$ dimensional subspace of $T_{x}M$. So we obtain a $n-2$ ...
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Closed $3$-manifold, $2$-dimensional subbundle of this manifold, is this form exact or not?
Let $M$ be a closed $3$-manifold, and let $\xi$ be a $2$-dimensional subbundle of $TM$. I know the following.
There is a nowhere zero $1$-form $\alpha$ on $M$ with $\alpha(X) = 0$ for any vector ...
user74565
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Integrate unit normal vector over unit sphere intersected with a simplicial cone
Let $S^{d-1}$ be the unit sphere in $\mathbb R^d$. Consider a ($d$-dimensional) simplicial cone $C$ in $\mathbb R^d$ whose extremal rays are spanned by some unit vectors $\mathbf{u}_1,\ldots,\mathbf{u}...
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Cohomology of invariant differential forms
Let $M$ be a compact manifold and $\varphi:M\rightarrow M$ a diffeomorphism. The invariant differential forms
$$
\Omega^{k}_{inv}(M)=\{\alpha\in\Omega^{k}(M):\varphi^{*}\alpha=\alpha\}
$$
form a ...
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Kinds of differentials and algebraic groups
This Wikipedia article mentions that the analogues of differentials of the first/second/third kind for algebraic groups are abelian varieties/algebraic tori/linear algebraic groups. I guess ...
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Exact forms, gauge transformations, and the Hodge decomposition in non-abelian Gauge theory
I am trying to understand how the Hodge decomposition is affected by gauge transformations in non-abelian in gauge theory (eg $\mathrm{SU}(N)$). In particular, I am searching for a way to generalise ...
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Computing relative cohomology class of differential form
When dealing with a top degree differential form $\mu$ in a manifold $M$, a way of "computing" its cohomology class is integrating it through the whole manifold. For instance, if the integral $ \int_M ...
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