GroupActions[InfinitesimalSymmetriesOfGeometricObjectFields] - find the infinitesimal symmetries (vector fields) for a collection of vector fields, differential forms tensors, or connections
Calling Sequences
InfinitesimalSymmetriesOfGeometricObjectFields(T, option)
Parameters
T - a list of vector fields, differential forms, tensors, connections, list of vector fields, list of differential forms, list of tensors
option - output = "list", output = "pde", auxiliaryequations = [Delta1, Delta2,..] coefficientvariables = [x1, x2, ...], ansatz = X, unknowns = [F1, F2, ...], parameters = {a1, a2}
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Description
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The command InfinitesimalSymmetriesOfGeometricObjectFields(T) uses pdsolve to find the most general vector field X such that LieDerivative(X, t) = 0 for all t in T, where t is a vector field, differential form, tensor, or connection. When t in T is itself a list t = [ t1, t2, ... tn], the conditions LieDerivative(X, tk) in span(t) , for each tk in t, are imposed upon the vector field X.
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If the (real) vector space Gamma of infinitesimal symmetries for a given collection of geometric object fields is finite dimensional (so that the most general infinitesimal symmetry depends only upon arbitrary constants), then the optional argument output = "list" will return a basis for Gamma.
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With the option output = "pde", just the determining differential equations for the symmetries are returned.
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The variables appearing in the coefficients of the vector field X can be specified with the option coefficientvariables = [x1, x2, ...].
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The exact form of the infinitesimal symmetries to be found can be specified with the option ansatz = X. With this option, the unknown coefficients to be solved for must be explicitly identified with the option unknowns = [F1, F2, ...].
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Additional constraints on the symmetry vector field X can be specified with the optional argument auxiliaryequations = [Delta1, Delta2,..], where Delta1, Delta2,.. are differential equations whose unknowns are the coefficients of the vector field X.
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If the given geometric object fields T depend upon parameters {a1, a2}, then the optional argument parameters = {a1, a2} will invoke the case splitting capabilities of pdsolve. Exceptional parameter values will be determined and a sequence of lists of infinitesimal symmetries, one list for each set of parameter values, will be returned.
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Other optional arguments for pdsolve may be passed through the command InvariantGeometricObjectFields.
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If pdsolve is unable to explicitly solve the pde system defined by LieDerivative(X, t) = 0, then NULL is returned.
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The command InfinitesimalSymmetriesOfGeometricObjectFields is part of the DifferentialGeometry:-GroupActions package. It can be used in the form InfinitesimalSymmetriesOfGeometricObjectFields(...) only after executing the commands with(DifferentialGeometry) and with(GroupActions), but can always be used by executing DifferentialGeometry:-GroupActions:-InfinitesimalSymmetriesOfGeometricObjectFields(...).
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Examples
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We define a manifold M with coordinates [x, y, z].
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| (2.1) |
Example 1.
Find all vector fields which commute with the vector field Y = D_x.
M >
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| (2.2) |
M >
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| (2.3) |
Find all vector fields whose coefficients depend only on x which commute with the vector field Y = D_x.
M >
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| (2.4) |
Example 2.
Find the infinitesimal symmetries for the metric g = dxdx + dydy + dzdz.
M >
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| (2.5) |
M >
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Show the defining differential equations for these symmetries. Here we explicitly define the general form of the symmetry vector and specify the unknowns.
M >
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| (2.7) |
M >
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| (2.8) |
M >
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| (2.9) |
We can use the auxilaryequations option to find the symmetries X of the metric g for which R + S + T = 0.
M >
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| (2.10) |
M >
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| (2.11) |
Example 3.
Find the joint infinitesimal symmetries for the 0 connection C and the volume form dxdydz.
M >
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| (2.12) |
M >
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| (2.13) |
M >
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Example 4.
Here is a famous calculation due to E. Cartan. See Fulton and Harris RepresentationTheory page 357.
Find the linear infinitesimal symmetries of the 3-form omega defined on the 7-manifold N with coordinates [v1, v3, v4, w1, w3, w4, u].
M >
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N >
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N >
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N >
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N >
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N >
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N >
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| (2.21) |
N >
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| (2.22) |
N >
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It is a simple matter to use the package LieAlgebras to check that this Lie algebra is indecomposable and simple - it is Cartan's realization of the exceptional Lie algebra g2.
Example 5.
Find the point symmetries of the Lagrangian for the (2 + 1) wave equation. The result is a 8 dimensional Lie algebra.
N >
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| (2.24) |
J >
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| (2.25) |
J >
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| (2.26) |
J >
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| (2.27) |
Example 6.
Find the infinitesimal conformal symmetries of the metric g = dxdx + dydy + dzdz. These are the vector fields X such that LieDerivative(X, g) = lambda g, or LieDerivative(X, g) in span(g) .
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| (2.28) |
M >
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| (2.29) |
Note that the first argument is now a list of a list.
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| (2.30) |
The conformal symmetries of g define a 10 dimensional Lie algebra.
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| (2.31) |
Example 7.
Find the infinitesimal symmetries of a distribution of vector fields Delta. These are the vector fields X such that LieDerivative(X, Delta) in Delta.
M >
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| (2.32) |
Q >
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Q >
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Example 8.
Find the symmetries of a metric which depend upon 2 parameters {alpha, beta}, where alpha <> 0.
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| (2.34) |
M >
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| (2.35) |
Example 9.
The command InfinitesimalSymmetriesOfGeometricObjectFields can also be used to calculate the symmetries of a tensor T defined on a Lie algebra.
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| (2.37) |
alg1 >
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alg1 >
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| (2.38) |
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