Questions tagged [riemannian-geometry]
Riemannian Geometry is a subfield of Differential Geometry, which specifically studies "Riemannian Manifolds", manifolds with "Riemannian Metrics", which means that they are equipped with continuous inner products.
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Growth/Decay of conformal Killing fields in cone metrics
Let $\gamma$ be a smooth metric on $S^2$ of positive curvature. Consider the metric
$$g= dr^2 + r^2 \gamma$$
on $[1,\infty) \times S^2$.
Does there exist a nontrivial conformal Killing field vanishing ...
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Can anyone give an example of Ricci flat Riemannian or Lorentzian Manifold that is not flat?
Does there exist a Ricci flat Riemannian or Lorentzian manifold which is geodesic complete but not flat? And is there any theorm about Ricci-flat but not flat?
I am especially interset in the case ...
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Total curvature of a conjugate minimal surface
Let $s: S \to \Bbb R^3$ be an immersed minimal surface with finite total curvature and a proper annular end (possibly with other types of ends).
What is exactly meant by a proper annular end? It is an ...
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Bochner Laplacian in coordinates
Sorry if this is a too basic question, but I didn't find an answer anywhere:
The connection Laplacian, or Bochner Laplacian, is the differential operator acting on $k$-tensor fields $T\in\Gamma^{\...
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Elliptic regularity on manifolds: Is this true?
Let $(M,g)$ be a Riemannian manifold (without boundary) and denote by $\Delta_{g}$ the Laplace-Beltrami operator (or any other elliptic operator if you wish). I was trying to find a reference for the ...
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For riemannian manifolds, how close can a mapping from atlas be to an isometry?
Let $(M, g)$ be an $n$-dimensional $C^k$ (or $C^\infty$) Riemannian manifold. On $M$ we can define metric $d_g$ as the infimum of lengths of curves that connect given two points.
Fix $x \in M$ and $r&...
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Smoothness of the Fréchet Function
Let $M$ be a compact Riemannian manifold and $d$ be the induced distance function. Suppose $\mu$ is a probability measure on $M$ with continuous density. The Fréchet function is defined as
$$
F(x) = \...
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On the linearized evolution equations in general relativity
The following puzzles me already for quite some time: In mathematical relativity, especially in the discussion of the Cauchy problem, one usually works in the so-called ADM-Formalism, in which one ...
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Closed geodesics on bumpy spheres
Main question:
Does every bumpy Riemannian metric on a sphere have at least three short and prime closed geodesics, for some reasonable definition of short?
E.g., a geodesic $\gamma$ could be called ...
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Does a Riemannian manifold with bounded geometry admit an isometric proper embedding into Euclidean space with uniformly thick tubular neighborhood?
Suppose $(M,g)$ is an open Riemannian manifold with bounded geometry, i.e., the injectivity radius is $\ge \epsilon>0$ and each iterated covariant derivative of curvature is bounded with respect to ...
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Variation of the Einstein Hilbert action in a coordinate-free way
I am currently writing an expository paper on gauge theory and gravity and throughout the gauge theory part I have been able to mostly stay away from coordinates unless I wished to
provide specific ...
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Simple curves on hyperbolic tori
In the paper "Simple curves on hyperbolic tori" by McShane and Rivin, they show that if $T$ is a hyperbolic once punctured torus, one can define a norm on the homology $H_1(T,\mathbb{Z})$ by ...
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Green's function on sphere
Consider radial (normal) coordinates on a sphere $S^n, n \geq 2$. Let the "origin" be the north pole $(0, 0,..., 1)$ and the coordinates be denoted by $(r, \theta)$. We know that the Laplacian $\...
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Can every surface be realized as a mean convex hypersurface in $\mathbb{R}^3$?
I'm wondering if every closed surface can be realized as a mean convex hypersurface in $\mathbb{R}^3$, i.e. the mean curvature vanishes or points inward.
Categorizing by genus: for $S^2$ ($g = 0$) ...
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Ricci flow negative curvature
We denote by $\mathbb{H}^n$ the hyperbolic plane of dimension $n$.
I don't know much about the Ricci flow, so my first question is probably naïve : can one define a normalized Ricci flow such that the ...
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Connectedness of fibers of almost Riemannian submersions
EDIT: Let $M,N$ be compact connected smooth Riemannian manifolds. Let us assume that $N$ is closed, while $M$ might have a geodesically convex boundary.
Given $f\colon M\to N$ be an $\varepsilon$-...
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Conformal Killing fields satisfy a third order PDE
Let $(M,g)$ be a $n$-dimensional Riemannian manifold with smooth metric $g$.
Proposition 3.2 in the paper "The Boost Problem in General Relativity" by O'Murchadha and Chistodoulou claims ...
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How to get to the earliest time zone?
You are in a plane at some point on Earth. You want to be at the earliest time zone possible at the end of your flight. What is the optimal path to take?
Formally, fix spherical coordinates $(\theta, \...
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Spin(7)-instanton
Let $M$ be a Spin$(7)$-manifold with a spin-bundle $S=S_+\oplus S_-$. There's an obvious connection on $S$ which comes from lifting the Levi-Civita connection. And it induces a connection on the ...
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Parallel transport on a vector bundle : expansion of the correspondance between normal and tubular coordinates
Let $(M, g^{TM})$ be a Riemannian manifold of dimension $n$. Let $X \subset M$ be a submanifold of dimension $n$ with boundary $\partial X$. Then we have a splitting of the tangent bundle
$$TM \vert_{\...
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Does anyone recognize this condition on a Riemannian metric on a vector space?
In the course of studying some oscillatory integral problems, the following strange condition came up. Let $V$ be a finite-dimensional real vector space. Let us say that a smooth Riemannian metric $...
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Why these particular numerical factors in the definition of Gaussian curvature?
Wikipedia tells me that:
Gaussian curvature is the limiting difference between the circumference of a geodesic circle and a circle in the plane:
$K = \lim_{r \rightarrow 0} (2 \pi r - \mbox{C}(r)) \...
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"Almost geodesics" in Riemannian manifolds which cannot be loops
Let $M,N$ be smooth Riemannian manifolds of the same dimension. Let $0<\varepsilon<\frac{inj(N)}{100}$. Let $f\colon M\to N$ be a smooth map such that for any $x\in M$ and any $v\in T_xM$ one ...
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When "$(\varepsilon,\delta)$-geodesic" cannot be a loop?
EDIT: Let $M$ be a smooth compact Riemannian manifold. Let $\varepsilon,\delta>0$. I call a smooth curve $\gamma\colon [a,b]\to M$ an $(\varepsilon,\delta)$-geodesic if for any $t_1<t_2<t_1+\...
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Obtain Lorentzian manifolds from Riemannian ones by Wick rotation
In some cases, Wick rotation of a metric, formally consisting in substituting a coordinate with i times the coordinate itself, allows one to construct a Riemannian manifold starting from a Lorentzian ...
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how to construct a finite energy map
In the construction of harmonic maps by Eells and Sampson, one needs to start with a map with finite energy and use the heat equation to deform it into a harmonic map. The construction of such a ...
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Asymptotics on the number of diffeomorphism classes in the Cheeger finiteness theorem
A result of Cheeger says that, given any even dimension and any $\delta > 0$, there are only a finite number of diffeomorphism types of compact simply-connected manifolds of that dimension which ...
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Integral geometric meaning of diameter
Let $X\subset \mathbb CP^n, n>2$ be a complex smooth algebraic hypersurface.
Any hyperplane section $H\cap X$ is connected and has diameter $Diam(H\cap X)$
in the inner metric induced from the ...
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Nested convex hulls in Hadamard manifold
Let $F$ be a finite set in a Hadamard manifold $H$, and $W\supset F$ is its neighborhood.
Is it true that the closure of the convex hull of $F$ lies in the interior of the convex hull of $W$?
...
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Differentiability of an integral of geodesic distance
Let $(M,g)$ be an $m$-dimensional Riemannian symmetric space and $d(\cdot,\cdot)$ be the geodesic distance function. Fix any $\alpha\in M$ and $v\in T_\alpha M$ with $\|v\|=1$.
Q1: Define
$$
g(t)=\...
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Statistical invariants of Riemannian manifolds
$\DeclareMathOperator\diam{diam}\DeclareMathOperator\rad{rad}\DeclareMathOperator\iso{iso}\DeclareMathOperator\com{com}\DeclareMathOperator\con{con}$A cheap way of defining invariants of Riemannian ...
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Harmonic maps of Euclidean space to the sphere
What are some examples of non-constant harmonic maps from Euclidean 3-space with its usual metric, punctured at a discrete set of points, to the 2-sphere with its usual metric?
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A triangle comparison in CAT(0) spaces
Let $pxy$ be a triangle in a CAT(0) space $X$, and $p' x' y'$ be a triangle in $\mathbf{R}^2$ such that the lengths $|px|=|p'x'|$, $|py|=|p'y'|$ and the angle $\angle(xpy)=\angle(x'p'y')$. Let $z\in ...
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Measurability of the union of cut loci along a curve
Let $(M,g)$ be a Riemannian symmetric space and $\alpha(s)$ be a geodesic. Define
$$
U(t)=\cup_{s\in[0,t]}{\rm Cut}(\alpha(s))
$$
as the union of the cut loci ${\rm Cut}(\alpha(s))$ along the curve $\...
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Is the heat kernel of a manifold $p$-integrable?
If $M$ is a separable, oriented Riemannian manifold, without any other assumption on its geometry, and $h$ is its heat kernel, it is known that $h(t,x,\cdot)$ is both integrable, and square-integrable ...
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Assumptions for uniform measure of SDE on manifolds
Suppose we're working on a compact, Riemannian manifold $M$. Suppose $dX_t = -b(X_t, t)\,dt + \sigma^2 \,dB_t$ is started at the uniform measure on $M$. What kind of assumptions on $b$ make it so that ...
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Is the geodesic flow on a Riemannian manifold conservative?
Let's consider a complete Riemannian manifold $\mathcal{M}$. The geodesic flow of $\mathcal{M}$ is a first-order flow on the tangent bundle $T\mathcal{M}$.
My question: Is it conservative? By ...
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Does the Hodge star operator determine the metric?
Let $M$ be a closed oriented smooth $4$-manifold with two metrics $g$ and $\tilde g$. Consider the Hodge star operators on $2$-forms
$$
\star:\Omega^2(M) \to \Omega^2(M) \quad \text{and} \quad \tilde \...
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Perturbation of the self-dual harmonic $2$-forms
Let $M$ be a closed oriented smooth $4$-manifold with $m=b^+_2(M)>0$. We set $\mathcal R$ to be the space of smooth metrics on $M$ and consider the following map $f:\mathcal R \to Gr(m,n)$ defined ...
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Parallel transport of global sections and Riemannian curvature
A, perhaps, naive question from an algebraist/combinatorialist teaching differential geometry. Originally asked on math.SE but didn't receive a single comment in 3 days.
Consider a (real) smooth ...
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How to learn intrinsic torsion
I want to learn about G-structure and intrinsic torsion. But I can find no textbook that details it.
If you can give me a reference about it, it would be much appreciated.
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Solutions to $\Delta u\ge u^2$
Let $(M,g)$ be a complete Riemannian manifold. Suppose that $u$ is a nonnegative solution to $\Delta_gu\ge u^2$. Does it follow that $u$ must be identically 0?
I know that the answer to above ...
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Osculating sphere at point of maximal curvature lies to one side
I'm looking for the higher dimensional version of this post, which says that given a curve $\gamma \subseteq \mathbb{R}^2$, the osculating circle will lie to one side of the curve at points of maximal ...
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Covering number estimates on closed Riemannian manifolds
Let $(M^n,g)$ be an $n$-dimensional compact and connected Riemannian manifold with sectional curvature bounded above and below by $c,C$. Is it possible/known how to express the external covering ...
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Totally geodesic submanifold of codimension 1 in noncompact Riemannian manifold
Assume that $M$ is a noncompact complete simply connected manifold of nonnegative sectional curvature. Then by Soul theorem, it has a soul $S$.
Question 1 : Fix a point $p\in S$. Then there is a ...
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Clarifying a result of Klingenberg
I am looking for some clarification on a result of Klingenberg. For context, I have a complete Riemannian manifold for which I would like to compute a lower bound on the injectivity radius at each ...
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Examples and non-examples of Riemannian foliations
Recall a tranverse metric on a (regular) foliated manifold $(M,F)$ is a positive symmetric $C^\infty (M)$-bilinear form $g$ such that
1) $Ker(g_x)=T_x F$
2) It is invariant with respect to lie ...
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$L^{p}$ estimate for $\Delta|\nabla u|$ on a manifold with bounded Ricci curvature
This is a more advanced question than Estimates of $\Delta|\nabla u|$ for harmonic function $u$ .
The Bochner formula and refined Kato inequality tells us that on a Riemannian manifold $(M^{n},g)$, if ...
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Estimates of $\Delta|\nabla u|$ for harmonic function $u$
The well-known Bochner formula and refined Kato inequality (for harmonic function) tells us that for a harmonic function $u$ in $B_{2}\subset\mathbb{R}^{n}$,
$$
\frac{1}{n}|\nabla^{2}u|^{2}\leqslant |\...
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Is there an absolute geometry that underlies spherical, Euclidean and hyperbolic geometry?
A space form is defined as a complete Riemannian manifold with constant sectional curvature. Fixing the curvature to +1, 0 & -1 and then taking the universal cover by the Killing–Hopf theorem ...
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