Homework 4.

Solutions
1 Calculate the Christoel symbols of the canonical at connection in E
3
in
a) cylindrical coordinates (x = r cos , y = r sin, z = h),
b) spherical coordinates.
(For the case of sphere try to make calculations at least for components
r
rr
,
r
r
,
r
r
,
r

, . . . ,
r

)
Remark One can calculate Christoel symbols using Levi-Civita Theorem. There is a third way to
calculate Christoel symbols: It using approach of Lagrangian. This is the easiest way. (see the Homework
6)
In cylindrical coordinates (r, , h) we have
_
x = r cos
y = r sin
z = h
and
_
_
_
r =
_
x
2
+ y
2
= arctna
y
x
h = z
We know that in Cartesian coordinates all Christoel symbols vanish. Hence in cylindrical coordinates
(see in detail lecture notes):

r
rr
=

2
x

2
r
r
x
+

2
y

2
r
r
y
+

2
z

2
r
r
z
= 0 ,

r
r
=
r
r
=

2
x
r
r
x
+

2
y
r
r
y
+

2
z
r
r
z
= sincos + sincos = 0 .

=

2
x

r
x
+

2
y

r
y
+

2
z

r
z
= x
x
r
y
y
r
= r .

rr
=

2
x

2
r

x
+

2
y

2
r

y
+

2
z

2
r

z
= 0 .

r
=

r
=

2
x
r

x
+

2
y
r

y
+

2
z
r

z
= sin
y
r
2
+ cos
x
r
2
=
1
r

=

2
x

x
+

2
y

y
+

2
z

z
= x
x
r
2
y
y
r
2
= 0 .
All symbols

h
,

h
vanish

r
rh
=
r
hr
=
r
hh
=
r
h
=
r
h
=

hr
= dots = 00
since

2
x
h...
=

2
y
h...
=

2
z
h...
= 0
For all symbols
h

=

2
z

since
h
x
=
h
y
= 0 and
h
y
= 1. On the other hand all

2
z

vanish. Hence
all symbols
h

vanish.
b) spherical coordinates
_
x = r sincos
y = r sinsin
z = r cos
_

_
r =
_
x
2
+ y
2
+ z
2
= arccos
z

x
2
+y
2
+z
2
= arctan
y
x
We already know the fast way to calculate Christoel symbol using Lagrangian of free particle and this
method work for a at connection since at connection is a Levi-Civita connection for Euclidean metric
So perform now brute force calculations only for some components. (Then later (in homework 6) we
will calculate using very quickly Lagrangian of free particle. )
1

r
rr
= 0 since

2
x
i

2
r
= 0.

r
r
=
r
r
=

2
x
r
r
x
+

2
y
r
r
y
+

2
z
r
r
z
= cos cos
x
r
+ cos sin
y
r
sin
z
r
= 0 ,

=

2
x

r
x
+

2
y

r
y
+

2
z

r
z
= r sin cos
x
r
r sin sin
y
r
r cos
z
r
= r

r
r
=
r
r
=

2
x
r
r
x
+

2
y
r
r
y
+

2
z
r
r
z
= sin sin
x
r
+ sin cos
y
r
= 0
and so on....
2 a) Consider a connection such that its Christoel symbols are symmetric in a given coordinate system:

i
km
=
i
mk
.
Show that they are symmetric in an arbitrary coordinate system.
b

) Show that the Christoel symbols of connection are symmetric (in any coordinate system) if and
only if

X
Y
Y
X [X, Y] = 0 ,
for arbitrary vector elds X, Y.
c)

Consider for an arbitrary connection the following operation on the vector elds:
S(X, Y) =
X
Y
Y
X [X, Y]
and nd its properties.
Solution
a) Let
i
km
=
i
mk
. We have to prove that
i

m
=
i

We have

m
=
x
i

x
i
x
k
x
k

x
m
x
m

i
km
+
x
r
x
k

x
m

x
i

x
r
. (1)
Hence

k
=
x
i

x
i
x
m
x
m

x
k
x
k

i
mk
+
x
r
x
m

x
k

x
i

x
r
But
i
km
=
i
mk
and
x
r
x
m

x
k
=
x
r
x
k

x
m
. Hence

k
=
x
i

x
i
x
m
x
m

x
k
x
k

i
mk
+
x
r
x
m

x
k

x
i

x
r
=
x
i

x
i
x
m
x
m

x
k
x
k

i
km
+
x
r
x
k

x
m

x
i

x
r
=
i

m
.
b) The relation

X
Y
Y
X [X, Y] = 0
holds for all elds if and only if it holds for all basic elds. One can easy check it using axioms of connection
(see the next part). Consider X =

x
i
, Y =

x
j
then since [
i
,
j
] = 0 we have that

X
Y
Y
X [X, Y] =
i

j

j

i
=
k
ij

k

k
ji

k
= (
k
ij

k
ji
)
k
= 0
We see that commutator for basic elds
X
Y
Y
X [X, Y] = 0 if and only if
k
ij

k
ji
= 0.
c) One can easy check it by straightforward calculations or using axioms for connection that S(X, Y)
is a vector-valued bilinear form on vectors. In particularly S(fX, Y ) = fS(X, Y) for an arbitrary (smooth)
function. Show this just using axioms dening connection:
S(fX, Y ) =
fX
Y
Y
(fX) [fX, Y] = f
X
Y f
Y
X
Y
fX+ [Y, fX] =
2
f
X
Y f
Y
X (
Y
f)X+
Y
fX+ f [Y, X] = f(
X
Y
Y
X [X, Y]) = fS(X, Y)
3 Let
1
,
2
be two dierent connections. Let
(1)

i
km
and
(2)

i
km
be the Christoel symbols of connec-
tions
1
and
2
respectively.
a) Find the transformation law for the object : T
i
km
=
(1)

i
km

(2)

i
km
under a change of coordinates.
Show that it is
_
1
2
_
tensor.
b)
?
Consider an operation
1

2
on vector elds and nd its properties.
Christoel symbols of both connections transform according the law (1). The second term is the same.
Hence it vanishes for their dierence:
T
i

m
=
(1)

m

(2)

m
=
x
i

x
i
x
k
x
k

x
m
x
m

_
(1)

i
km

(2)

i
km
_
=
x
i

x
i
x
k
x
k

x
m
x
m

T
i
km
We see that T
i

km
transforms as a tensor of the type
_
1
2
_
.
b) One can do it in invariant way. Using axioms of connection study T =
1

2
is a vector eld.
Consider
T(X, Y) =
1X
Y
2X
Y
Show that T(fX, Y) = fT(X, Y) for an arbitrary (smooth) function, i.e. it does not possesses derivatives:
T(fX, Y) =
1fX
Y
2fX
Y = (
X
f)Y + f
1X
Y (
X
f)Y f
2X
Y = fT(X, Y).
4

a) Consider t
m
=
i
im
. Show that the transformation law for t
m
is
t
m
=
x
m
x
m

t
m
+

2
x
r
x
m

x
k

x
k

x
r
.
b)

Show that this law can be written as
t
m
=
x
m
x
m

t
m
+

x
m

_
log det
_
x
x

__
.
Solution. Using transformation law (1) we have
t
m
=
i

m
=
x
i

x
i
x
k
x
i

x
m
x
m

i
km
+
x
r
x
i

x
m

x
i

x
r
We have that
x
i

x
i
x
k
x
i
=
k
i
. Hence
t
m
=
i

m
=
x
i

x
i
x
k
x
i

x
m
x
m

i
km
+
x
r
x
i

x
m

x
i

x
r
=
k
i
x
m
x
m

i
km
+
x
r
x
i

x
m

x
i

x
r
=
x
m
x
m

t
m
+
x
r
x
i

x
m

x
i

x
r
.
b)

When calculating

x
m

_
log det
_
x
x

__
use very important formula:
det A = det ATr (A
1
A) log det A = Tr (A
1
A) .
Hence

x
m

_
log det
_
x
x

__
=
x
i

x
r

2
x
r
x
i

x
m

3
and we come to transformation law for (1).
To deduce the formula for det A notice that
det(A + A) = det Adet(1 + A
1
A)
and use the relation: det(1 + A) = 1 + Tr A + O(
2
A)
5 Calculate Christoel symbols of the connection induced on the surface M in E
n
equipped with
canonical at connection.
a) M = S
1
in E
2
b) M parabola y = x
2
in E
2
c) M cylinder,cone,sphere in E
3
.
d) saddle z = xy Solution.
a) Consider polar coordinate on S
1
, x = Rcos , y = Rsin. We have to dene the connection on S
1
induced by the canonical at connection on E
2
. It suces to dene

.
Recall the general rule. Let r(u

): x
i
= x
i
(u

) is embedded surface in Euclidean space E

n
. The basic
vectors

u

=
r(u)
u

. To take the induced covariant derivative

X
Y for two tangent vectors X, Y we take
a usual derivative of vector Y along vector X (the derivative with respect to canonical at connection: in
Cartesian coordiantes is just usual derivatives of components) then we take the tangent component of the
answer, since in general derivative of vector Y along vector X is not tangent to surface:

u

=
_

(canonical)

_
tangent
=
_

2
r(u)
u

_
tangent
(
canonical

) is just usual derivative in Euclidean space since for canonical connection all Christoel
symbols vanish.)
In the case of 1-dimensional manifold, curve it is just tangential acceleration!:

u

u
=
u
uu

u
=
_

(canonical)

u
_
tangent
=
_
d
2
r(u)
du
2
_
tangent
= a
tangent
For the circle S
1
, (x = Rcos , y = Rsin), in E
2
. We have
r

=
x

x
+
y

y
= Rsin

x
+ Rcos

y
,

=
_

(canonic.)

_
tangent
=
_

_
tangent
=
_

(Rsin)

x
+

(Rcos )

y
_
tangent
=
_
Rcos

x
Rsin

y
_
tangent
= 0,
since the vector Rcos

x
Rsin

y
is orthogonal to the tangent vector r

. In other words it means that

acceleration is centripetal: tangential acceleration equals to zero.
We see that in coordinate ,

= 0.
Additional work: Perform calculation of Christoel symbol in stereographic coordinate t:
x =
2tR
2
R
2
+ t
2
, y =
R(t
2
R
2
)
t
2
+ R
2
.
4
In this case
r
t
=

t
=
x
t

x
+
y
t

y
=
2R
2
(R
2
+ t
2
)
2
_
(R
2
t
2
)

x
+ 2tR

x
_
,

t

t
=
t
tt

t
=
_

(canonic.)

t
_
tangent
=
_

t
r
t
_
tangent
= (r
tt
)
tangent
=
_

4t
t
2
+ R
2
r
t
+
2R
2
(R
2
+ t
2
)
2
_
2t

x
+ 2R

y
__
tangent
In this case r
tt
is not orthogonal to velocity: to calculate (r
tt
)
tangent
we need to extract its orthogonal
component:
(r
tt
)
tangent
= r
tt
r
tt
, n
t
n
We have
n
t
=
r
|r|
=
1
R
2
+ t
2
_
2tR
x
+ (t
2
R
2
)
y
_
,
where r
t
, n = 0. Hence r
tt
, n
t
=
4R
3
(t
2
+R
2
)
2
and
(r
tt
)
tangent
= r
tt
r
tt
, n
t
n =
_

4t
t
2
+ R
2
r
t
+
2R
2
(R
2
+ t
2
)
2
_
2t

x
+ 2R

y
__
+
4R
3
(t
2
+ R
2
)
2

1
R
2
+ t
2
_
2tR
x
+ (t
2
R
2
)
y
_
=
2t
t
2
+ R
2
r
t
We come to the answer:

t
=
2t
t
2
+ R
2

t
, i.e.
t
tt
=
2t
t
2
+ R
2
Of course we could calculate the Christoel symbol in stereographic coordinates just using the fact that we
already know the Christoel symbol in polar coordinates:

= 0, hence

t
tt
=
dt
d
d
dx
d
dx

+
d
2

dt
2
dt
d
=
d
2

dt
2
dt
d
It is easy to see that t = Rtan
_

4
+

2
_
, i.e. = 2 arctan
t
R


2
and

t
tt
=
d
2

dt
2
dt
d
=
d
2

dt
2
d
dt
=
2t
t
2
+ R
2
.
b) For parabola x = t, y = t
2
r
t
=

t
=
x
t

x
+
y
t

y
=

x
+ 2t

y
,

t

t
=
t
tt

t
=
_

(canonic.)

t
_
tangent
=
_

t
r
t
_
tangent
= (r
tt
)
tangent
=
_
2

y
_
tangent
To calculate (r
tt
)
tangent
we need to extract its orthogonal component: (r
tt
)
tangent
= r
tt
r
tt
, n
t
n, where n
is an orthogonal unit vector: n, r
t
= 0, n, n = 1:
n
t
=
1

1 + 4t
2
(2t
x
+
y
) .
We have
(r
tt
)
tangent
= r
tt
r
tt
, n
t
n = 2
y

_
2
y
,
1

1 + 4t
2
(2t
x
+
y
)
_
1

1 + 4t
2
(2t
x
+
y
) =
5
4t
1 + 4t
2

x
+
8t
2
1 + 4t
2

y
=
4t
1 + 4t
2
(
x
+ 2t
y
) =
4t
1 + 4t
2

t
We come to the answer:

t
=
4t
1 + 4t
2

t
, i.e.
t
tt
=
4t
1 + 4t
2
Remark Do not be surprised by resemblance of the answer to the answer for circle in stereographic coordi-
nates.
c) cylinder, cone and sphere
a)
Cylinder
r(h, ):
_
x = a cos
y = a sin
z = h
.

h
= r
h
=
_
_
0
0
1
_
_
,

= r

=
_
_
a sin
a cos
0
_
_
Calculate

h
=
h
hh

h
+

hh

=
_

2
r
h
2
_
tangent
= 0 since r
hh
= 0.
Hence
h
hh
=

hh
= 0

h
=
h
h

h
+

=
_

2
r
h
_
tangent
= 0 since r
h
= 0
Hence
h
h
=
h
h
=

h
=

h
= 0.

=
h

h
+

=
_

2
r

_
tangent
=
_
_
_
_
a cos
a sin
0
_
_
_
_
tangent
= 0
since the vector r

=
_
_
a cos
a sin
0
_
_
is orthogonal to the surface of cylinder. Hence
h
h
=
h
h
=

h
=

h
= 0
We see that for cylinder all Christoel symbols in cylindrical coordinates vanish. This is not big surprise:
in cylindrical coordinates metric equals dh
2
= a
2
d
2
. This due to Levi-Ciovita theorem one can see that
Levi-Civita which equals to induced connection vanishes since allcoecients are constants.
For cone: see Coursework problem 3.
For the sphere r(, ):
_
x = Rsin cos
y = Rsin sin
z = Rcos
, we have

= r

=
_
_
Rcos cos
Rcos sin
Rsin
_
_
,

= r

=
_
_
Rsin sin
Rsin cos
0
_
_
, n =
_
_
Rsin cos
Rsin sin
Rcos
_
_
Calculate

=
_

2
r

2
_
tangent
= 0
6
since

2
r

2
= Rn is orthogonal to the sphere. Hence

= 0.
Now calculate

=
_

2
r

_
tangent
.
We have

2
r

= cotan r

,
hence

=
_

2
r

_
tangent
= cotanr

, i.e.

= 0,

= cotan
Now calculate

=
_

2
r

_
tangent
.
We have

2
r

= cotan r

,
hence

=
_

2
r

_
tangent
= cotanr

, i.e.

= 0,

= cotan . Of course we did not need to perform these calculations: since is symmetric
connection and

, i.e.

= 0

= cotan .
and nally

=
_

2
r

2
_
tangent
.
We have

2
r

2
=
_
_
Rsin cos
Rsin sin
0
_
_
= sin cos
_
_
Rcos cos
Rcos sin
Rsin
_
_
Rsin
2

_
_
sin cos
sin sin
cos
_
_
= sin cos r

Rsin
2
n,
hence

=
_

2
r

_
tangent
= sin cos r

, i.e.

= sin cos ,

= 0.
For saddle z = xy: We have r(u, v):
_
x = u
y = v
z = uv
,
u
= r
u
=
_
_
1
0
v
_
_
,
v
= r
v
=
_
_
0
1
u
_
_
It will be useful also
to use the normal unit vector n =
1

1+u
2
+v
2
_
_
v
u
1
_
_
.
Calculate:

u
=
u
uu

u
+
v
uu

v
=
_

2
r
u
2
_
tangent
= (r
uu
)
tangent
= 0 since r
uu
= 0.
7
Hence
u
uu
=
v
uu
= 0.
Analogously
u
vv
=
v
vv
= 0 since r
vv
= 0.
Now calculate
u
uv
,
v
uv
,
u
vu
,
v
vu
:

v
=

u
=
u
uv

u
+
v
uv

v
= (r
uv
)
tangent
=
_
_
0
0
1
_
_
tangent
Using normal unit vector n we have: (r
uv
)
tangent
= r
uv
r
uv
, nn =
u
uv

u
+
v
uv

v
=
_
_
0
0
1
_
_
tangent
=
_
_
0
0
1
_
_

_
_
_
0
0
1
_
_
,
1

1 + u
2
+ v
2
_
_
v
u
1
_
_
_
1

1 + u
2
+ v
2
_
_
v
u
1
_
_
=
1
1 + u
2
+ v
2
_
_
v
u
u
2
+ v
2
_
_
=
v
1 + u
2
+ v
2
_
_
1
0
v
_
_
+
u
1 + u
2
+ v
2
_
_
0
u
u
_
_
=
vr
u
+ ur
v
1 + u
2
+ v
2
.
Hence
u
uv
=
u
vu
=
v
1+u
2
+v
2
and
v
uv
=
v
vu
=
u
1+u
2
+v
2
.
Sure one may calculate this connection as Levi-Civita connction of the induced Riemannian metric using
explicit Levi-Civita formula or using method of Lagrangian of free particle.
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