de Rham cohomology essentials

de Rham cohomology essentials

Carl Gladish
CIMS

October 10, 2008

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk History

Contents

Outline of Talk History Physical Examples Idea of De Rham cohomology Exterior Calculus Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk History

(1899) First general proof of Stokes theorem by Henri Poincar e (1869-1951) Exterior calculus on manifolds is due to Elie Cartan (1903 - 1990) Georges de Rham gave a rigorous proof of De Rhams Theorem in 1931

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk History

In dierential geometry there are two ways to learn things: Operationally: ie Calculate like this d (cos(xy )dx ) = x sin(xy )dy dx

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk History

In dierential geometry there are two ways to learn things: Operationally: ie Calculate like this d (cos(xy )dx ) = x sin(xy )dy dx

Rigorous Denitions: ie A cotangent vector is an equivalence class of germs of C -functions ...

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

Contents

Outline of Talk History Physical Examples Idea of De Rham cohomology Exterior Calculus Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

Solar energy ux
2 }. Let M = {(x , y , z ) R3 |x 2 + y 2 + z 2 Rsun

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

Solar energy ux
2 }. Let M = {(x , y , z ) R3 |x 2 + y 2 + z 2 Rsun

The ux of energy from the sun through any surface S M is determined by integrating the following 2-form over S :

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

Solar energy ux
2 }. Let M = {(x , y , z ) R3 |x 2 + y 2 + z 2 Rsun

The ux of energy from the sun through any surface S M is determined by integrating the following 2-form over S : E x dy dz 4 (x 2 + y 2 + z 2 )3/2 y + 2 dz dx 2 (x + y + z 2 )3/2 z + 2 dx dy 2 (x + y + z 2 )3/2

f =

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

Picture of solar energy ux

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

This ux is divergence-free (think physically!) everywhere in M so perturbing the surface S by a little (keeping boundary xed) doesnt change the total ux through it.

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

This ux is divergence-free (think physically!) everywhere in M so perturbing the surface S by a little (keeping boundary xed) doesnt change the total ux through it. Stokes theorem hints that f is the curl of some vector potential A.

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

This ux is divergence-free (think physically!) everywhere in M so perturbing the surface S by a little (keeping boundary xed) doesnt change the total ux through it. Stokes theorem hints that f is the curl of some vector potential A. Indeed, in any small open ball U , this ux is the curl of some vector potential AU : f |U = AU But we can not patch together the local potentials AU to get a global potential because ...

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

Irrotational 2-d uid Let M = {(x , y ) R2 |x 2 + y 2 1}.

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

Irrotational 2-d uid Let M = {(x , y ) R2 |x 2 + y 2 1}. Consider the ow depicted here:

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

To get the circulation of V along a path M we must integrate the 1-form x y dx + 2 dy x2 + y2 x + y2 along .

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

To get the circulation of V along a path M we must integrate the 1-form x y dx + 2 dy x2 + y2 x + y2 along . Greens theorem says that the circulation along a loop L is C=
L

v dr =
U

x y ( 2 ) ( 2 )dx dy 2 x x + y y x + y 2 0 dx dy

=
U

=0 if L bounds a disk-like region U .

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

This means: If we just consider a disk-like neighbourhood N then v is given by a gradient N in that neighbourhood.

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

This means: If we just consider a disk-like neighbourhood N then v is given by a gradient N in that neighbourhood. But this fails globally because ...

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

Notice that we can easily make up another velocity eld that is curl-free but doesnt have a potential: v2 = v + d (xy /2)

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

Notice that we can easily make up another velocity eld that is curl-free but doesnt have a potential: v2 = v + d (xy /2)

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Physical Examples

Notice that we can easily make up another velocity eld that is curl-free but doesnt have a potential: v2 = v + d (xy /2)

Question: what other curl-free ows on M lack a potential? De Rhams answer: essentially v is the only one

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Idea of De Rham cohomology

Contents

Outline of Talk History Physical Examples Idea of De Rham cohomology Exterior Calculus Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Idea of De Rham cohomology

The De Rham cohomology of a space M identies the dierential forms on M where: is closed (ie d = 0), which is the same as saying that has an anti-derivative in any disk-like neighbourhood = d for any ( is not exact, it has no global anti-derivative). The derivative we are talking about here is the exterior derivative. For now, think of it as a generalization of div, grad and curl.

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Idea of De Rham cohomology

The De Rham cohomology of a space M identies the dierential forms on M where: is closed (ie d = 0), which is the same as saying that has an anti-derivative in any disk-like neighbourhood = d for any ( is not exact, it has no global anti-derivative). The derivative we are talking about here is the exterior derivative. For now, think of it as a generalization of div, grad and curl. Specically,
k Hde Rham (M ) =

{ k (M )|d = 0} { k (M )| = d for some }

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Idea of De Rham cohomology

De Rhams Theorem shows that

k Hde Rham (M ) = Linear(Hk (M ), R)

where Hk (M ) is the k -dimensional singular homology.

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Idea of De Rham cohomology

De Rhams Theorem shows that

k Hde Rham (M ) = Linear(Hk (M ), R)

where Hk (M ) is the k -dimensional singular homology. The upshot is that,modulo the addition of exact forms d , the number of linearly independent k -forms on M that are closed but not exact is exactly the number of independent k -dimensional holes in the space M .

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Idea of De Rham cohomology

De Rhams Theorem shows that

k Hde Rham (M ) = Linear(Hk (M ), R)

where Hk (M ) is the k -dimensional singular homology. The upshot is that,modulo the addition of exact forms d , the number of linearly independent k -forms on M that are closed but not exact is exactly the number of independent k -dimensional holes in the space M . Looking back at our two examples ...

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Contents

Outline of Talk History Physical Examples Idea of De Rham cohomology Exterior Calculus Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Exterior calculus (due to Cartan) on a manifold M deals with the algebra of dierential forms on M (M ) = 0 (M ) 1 (M ) . . . n (M ). The exterior derivative is the mysterious map d : k (M ) k +1 (M ) that has appeared already as a generalization of div, grad and curl.

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Exterior calculus (due to Cartan) on a manifold M deals with the algebra of dierential forms on M (M ) = 0 (M ) 1 (M ) . . . n (M ). The exterior derivative is the mysterious map d : k (M ) k +1 (M ) that has appeared already as a generalization of div, grad and curl.

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Here is a sketch of what d : k (M ) k +1 (M ) is:

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Here is a sketch of what d : k (M ) k +1 (M ) is: By denition, 0 (M ) is just the smooth functions on M . If f 0 (M ) then df is a dual-vector eld on M . In particular ...

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Here is a sketch of what d : k (M ) k +1 (M ) is: By denition, 0 (M ) is just the smooth functions on M . If f 0 (M ) then df is a dual-vector eld on M . In particular ... If vp is a tangent vector at p represented by the path where (0) = p then d dfp (v ) = f ( (t )) dt t =0

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

In general, a dierential k -form k (M ) is something which, for each p M , provides a multi-linear, alternating function Tp M Tp M . . . Tp M R. Intuitively, this provides a way to measure the volume of innitesimal k -dimensional boxes with one corner at p .

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

In general, a dierential k -form k (M ) is something which, for each p M , provides a multi-linear, alternating function Tp M Tp M . . . Tp M R. Intuitively, this provides a way to measure the volume of innitesimal k -dimensional boxes with one corner at p . A bit of pure algebra shows that for any (nite-dimensional) vector space V there is an isomorphism : V V . . . V {alt. k-linear forms on V } where
(v1 v2 . . . vk )(w1 , w2 , . . . , wk ) = (1)sign() v (1) (w1 )v (2) (w2 ) . . . v (k ) (wk ) Sk

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Therefore, given local coordinate functions x1 , x2 , . . . , xn dened near p , any k -form can be written as =
1i1 <i2 <...<ik

ai1 i2 ...ik dxi1 dxi2 . . . dxik

where the ai1 i2 ...ik are smooth functions.

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Therefore, given local coordinate functions x1 , x2 , . . . , xn dened near p , any k -form can be written as =
1i1 <i2 <...<ik

ai1 i2 ...ik dxi1 dxi2 . . . dxik

where the ai1 i2 ...ik are smooth functions. We then dene d =

1i1 <i2 <...<ik

d (ai1 i2 ...ik ) dxi1 dxi2 . . . dxik .

It can be shown that this denition is consistant with the following formal properties, which actually characterize d uniquely:

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Formal properties of d If f is a smooth function, df is dened as stated above (function on tangent vectors)

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Formal properties of d If f is a smooth function, df is dened as stated above (function on tangent vectors) If p (M ) and q (M ) then d ( ) = d + (1)p d

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Formal properties of d If f is a smooth function, df is dened as stated above (function on tangent vectors) If p (M ) and q (M ) then d ( ) = d + (1)p d

d2 = 0

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Exterior Calculus

Formal properties of d If f is a smooth function, df is dened as stated above (function on tangent vectors) If p (M ) and q (M ) then d ( ) = d + (1)p d

d2 = 0 If U M is open, then d
U

= d (

If : M N is smooth map between manifolds, then d = d

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

Contents

Outline of Talk History Physical Examples Idea of De Rham cohomology Exterior Calculus Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

General Stokes Theorem (rst proved by Poincar e 1899) d =

M M

Proof is quite straightforward but requires careful use of technical denitions.

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

General Stokes Theorem (rst proved by Poincar e 1899) d =

M M

Proof is quite straightforward but requires careful use of technical denitions. The important part is that we see that, for the bilinear pairing of k -forms and k -dimensional submanifolds, d is the adjoint of the boundary operator .

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

General Stokes Theorem (rst proved by Poincar e 1899) d =

M M

Proof is quite straightforward but requires careful use of technical denitions. The important part is that we see that, for the bilinear pairing of k -forms and k -dimensional submanifolds, d is the adjoint of the boundary operator . In fact, Stokes theorem allows us to dene a bilinear pairing
k Hde Rham (M ) Hk (M ) R

where ([ ], [ ])

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

General Stokes Theorem (rst proved by Poincar e 1899) d =

M M

Proof is quite straightforward but requires careful use of technical denitions. The important part is that we see that, for the bilinear pairing of k -forms and k -dimensional submanifolds, d is the adjoint of the boundary operator . In fact, Stokes theorem allows us to dene a bilinear pairing
k Hde Rham (M ) Hk (M ) R

where ([ ], [ ])

Check well-denedness ...

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

This pairing immediately gives us a map

k Hde Rham (M ) Hom(Hk (M ), R).

de Rham cohomology essentials Outline of Talk Generalized Stokes Theorem and De Rhams Theorem

This pairing immediately gives us a map

k Hde Rham (M ) Hom(Hk (M ), R).

De Rhams theorem shows that this map is actually an isomorphism. If Hk (M ) is nite-dimensional, then
k dim(Hde Rham (M )) = dim(Hk (M ))

= number of k dimensional holes .