sa, 12:21 Pat Metric signature - Wikipedia
WIKIPEDIA
Metric signature
In mathematics, the signature (v, p, r) of a metric tensor g (or equivalently, a real quadratic form
thought of as a real symmetrie bilinear form on a finite-dimensional vector space) is the number
(counted with multiplicity) of positive, negative and zero eigenvalues of the real symmetric matrix gay
of the metric tensor with respect to a basis. In relativistic physics, the v represents the time or virtual
dimension, and the p for the space and physical dimension. Alternatively, it can be defined as the
dimensions of a maximal positive and null subspace. By Sylvester's law of inertia these numbers do
not depend on the choice of basis. The signature thus classifies the metric up to a choice of basis. The
signature is often denoted by a pair of integers (v, p) implying r= 0, or as an explicit list of signs of
eigenvalues such as (+ ~) or (-, +, +, +) for the signatures (1, 3, 0) and (3, 1, 0), respectively.)
‘The signature is said to be indefinite or mixed if both v and p are nonzero, and degenerate if r is
nonzero. A Riemannian metric is a metric with a positive definite signature (v, 0). A Lorentzian
metric is a metric with signature (p, 1), or (1, p),
There is another notion of signature of a nondegenerate metric tensor given by a single number s
defined as (v - p), where v and p are as above, which is equivalent to the above definition when the
dimension n = v + pis given or implici mple, s = 1= 3 = -2 for (+, =, =, -) and its mirroring
+2 for (-, +, 4, 4).
Contents
Definition
Properties
Signature and dimension
Sylvester's law of inertia: independence of basis choice and existence of orthonormal basis
Geometrical interpretation of the indices
Examples
Matrices
Scalar products
How to compute the signature
Signature in physics
Signature change
See also
Notes
Definition
hitpsilen.wikipecta.orgwiki/Mtrc_ signature 14sa, 12:21 Pat Metric signature - Wikipedia
The signature of a metric tensor is defined as the signature of the corresponding quadratic form.|21 It
is the number (v, p, 7) of positive and zero eigenvalues of any matrix (i.e. in any basis for the
underlying vector space) representing the form, counted with their algebraic multiplicities. Usually,
r= 0 is required, which is the same as saying a metric tensor must be nondegenerate, i.e. no nonzero
vector is orthogonal to all vectors.
By Sylvester's law of inertia, the numbers (v, p, r) are basis independent.
Properties
Signature and dimension
By the spectral theorem a symmetric nx n matrix over the reals i
therefore exactly n real eigenvalues (counted with algebraic multiplicity). Thus v + p =
always diagonalizable, and has
iim(V).
Sylvester's law of inertia: independence of basis choice and existence of
orthonormal basis
According to Sylvester's law of inertia, the signature of the scalar product (a.k.a. real symmetric
bilinear form), g does not depend on the choice of basis. Moreover, for every metric g of signature
(v, p,r) there exists a basis such that gqy = +1 for a= b = 1, ..., ¥, Jap = —1 for a Vt Vt
and ga = 0 otherwise. It follows that there exists an isometry (V,, g,) > (Vz) g2) if and only if the
signatures of g, and g, are equal. Likewise the signature is equal for two congruent matrices and
classifies a matrix up to congruency. Equivalently, the signature is constant on the orbits of the
general linear group GL(V) on the space of symmetric rank 2 contravariant tensors S*V* and classifies
each orbit.
Geometrical interpretation of the indices
The number v (resp. p) is the maximal dimension of a vector subspace on which the scalar product g
is positive-definite (resp. negative-definite), and r is the dimension of the radical of the scalar product
g or the null subspace of symmetric matrix ggp of the scalar product, Thus a nondegenerate scalar
product has signature (v, p, 0), with v + p = n. A duality of the special cases (v, p, 0) correspond to
two scalar eigenvalues which can be transformed into each other by the mirroring reciprocally.
Examples
Matrices
‘The signature of the n x n identity matrix is (n, 0, 0). The signature of a diagonal matrix is the number
of positive, negative and zero numbers on its main diagonal.
The following matrices have both the same signature (1, 1, 0), therefore they are congruent because of
Sylvester's law of inert
hitpsilen.wikipecta.orgwiki/Mtrc_ signature 214sree, 1221 Pm Met sgnatur - Wipe
1 0 01
o -1)’ \a of}
Scalar products
‘The standard si
and rank r= 0.
ar product defined on R” has the n-dimensional signatures (v, p, r), where v +
In physics, the Minkowski space is a spacetime manifold R¢ with v = 1 and p = 3 bases, and has a
scalar product defined by either the § matrix:
0
0
0
1
°
coro
Hoo
0
supremacy or space-like; or the mirroring
which has signature (1,3,0)~ and known as spa
signature (1, 3, 0)*, known as virtual-supremacy or time-like with the § matrix.
Soon
How to compute the signature
There are some methods for computing the signature of a matrix.
= For any nondegenerate symmetric n x n matrix, diagonalize it (or find all of eigenvalues of it) and
count the number of positive and negative signs.
= Fora symmetric matrix, the characteristic polynomial will have all real roots whose signs may in
some cases be completely determined by Descartes’ rule of signs.
= Lagrange's algorithm gives a way to compute an orthogonal basis, and thus compute a diagonal
matrix congruent (thus, with the same signature) to the other one: the signature of a diagonal
matrix is the number of positive, negative and zero elements on its diagonal.
= According to Jacob's criterion, a symmetric matrix is positive-definite if and only if all the
determinants of its main minors are positive.
Signature in physics
In mathematics, the usual convention for any Riemannian manifold is to use a positive-definite
metric tensor (meaning that after diagonalization, elements on the diagonal are all positive).
In theoretical physics, spacetime is modeled by a pseudo-Riemannian manifold. The signature counts
how many time-like or space-like characters are in the spacetime, in the sense defined by special
relativity: as used in particle physics, the metric has an eigenvalue on the time-like subspace, and its
hitpsilen.wikipecta.orgwiki/Mtrc_ signature a4sa, 12:21 Pat Metric signature - Wikipedia
mirroring eigenvalue on the space-like subspace. In the specific case of the Minkowski metric,
ds? = dt? — da? — ay? —d?,
the metric signature is (1,3,0)* or (+, -, -, -) if its eigenvalue is defined in the time direction, or
(1,3,0)~ or (, +, +, +) if the eigenvalue is defined in the three spatial directions x, y and z.
(Sometimes the opposite sign convention is used, but with the one given here s directly measures
proper time.)
Signature change
If a metric is regular everywhere then the signature of the metric is constant. However if one allows
for metrics that are degenerate or discontinuous on some hypersurfaces, then signature of the metric
may change at these surfaces.!3! Such signature changing metrics may possibly have applications in
cosmology and quantum gravity.
See also
= pseudo-Riemannian manifold
= Sign convention
Notes
1. Rowland, Todd. "Matrix Signature." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource, created by Eric
W. Weisstein. http://mathworld.wolfram.com/MatrixSignature. html
2. Landay, L.D.; Lifshitz, E.M. (2002) [1939]. The Classical Theory of Fields. Course of Theoretical
Physics. Vol. 2 (4th ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. pp. 245-246. ISBN 0-7506-2768-9.
3. Dray, Tevian; Ellis, George; Hellaby, Charles; Manogue, Corinne A. (1997). "Gravity and signature
change". General Relativity and Gravitation. 29 (5): 591-597. arXiv:gr-qo/9610063 (https://arxiv.or
g/abs/gr-qc/9610063). Bibcode:1997GReGr..29..591D (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1997GR
eGr..29..591D). doi:10,1023/A:1018895302693 (https://doi.org/10.1023%2FA%3A 101889530269
3). S2CID 7617543 (https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:7617543).
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