We deal with the problem of determining the existence and uniqueness of Lagrangians for systems of $n$ second order ordinary differential equations. A number of recent theorems are presented, using exterior differential systems theory (EDS). In particular, we indicate how to generalise Jesse Douglas's famous solution for $n=2$. We then examine a new class of solutions in arbitrary dimension $n$ and give some non-trivial examples in dimension 3
We develop a geometric version of the inverse problem of the calculus of variations for discrete mechanics and constrained discrete mechanics. The geometric approach consists of using suitable Lagrangian and isotropic submanifolds. We also provide a transition between the discrete and the continuous problems and propose variationality as an interesting geometric property to take into account in the design and computer simulation of numerical integrators.
We give a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a local solution of the inverse problem of calculus of variations in terms of the identical vanishing of the variation of a functional on an extended space (with the number of independent variables increased by one), and explain its relation with the classical Helmholtz criterion using the de Rham complex on an infinite-dimensional space of fields.
We use Frölicher-Nijenhuis theory to obtain global Helmholtz conditions, expressed in terms of a semi-basic 1-form, that characterize when a semispray is locally Lagrangian. We also discuss the relation between these Helmholtz conditions and their classic formulation written using a multiplier matrix. When the semi-basic 1-form is 1-homogeneous (0-homogeneous) we show that two (one) of the Helmholtz conditions are consequences of the other ones. These two special cases correspond to two inverse problems in the calculus of variation: Finsler metrizability for a spray, and projective metrizabili…
We address the integrability conditions of the inverse problem of the calculus of variations for time-dependent SODE using the Spencer version of the Cartan-Kähler theorem. We consider a linear partial differential operator $P$ given by the two Helmholtz conditions expressed in terms of semi-basic 1-forms and study its formal integrability. We prove that $P$ is involutive and there is only one obstruction for the formal integrability of this operator. The obstruction is expressed in terms of the curvature tensor $R$ of the induced nonlinear connection. We recover some of the classes of Lagrang…
We connect the well-known theory of functional forms of variational bicomplex with the theory of antiexact differential forms. We identify antiexact functional forms as an obstruction to the variationality of differential equations. The most prominent result of this observation is the formulation of the variational problem for some differential equations that are not variational and neither have a variational multiplier. Heat, Navier-Stokes, and KdV equations illustrate this new variational principle.
The inverse problem of the calculus of variations asks whether a given system of partial differential equations (PDEs) admits a variational formulation. We show that the existence of a presymplectic form in the variational bicomplex, when horizontally closed on solutions, allows us to construct a variational formulation for a subsystem of the given PDE. No constraints on the differential order or number of dependent or independent variables are assumed. The proof follows a recent observation of Bridges, Hydon and Lawson and generalizes an older result of Henneaux from ordinary differential equ…
The calculus of variations for lagrangians which are not functions on the tangent bundle, but sections certain affine bundles is developed. We follow a general approach to variational principles which admits boundary terms of variations.
In this paper, the notion of strongly typed language will be borrowed from the field of computer programming to introduce a calculational framework for linear algebra and tensor calculus for the purpose of detecting errors resulting from inherent misuse of objects and for finding natural formulations of various objects. A tensor bundle formalism, crucially relying on the notion of pullback bundle, will be used to create a rich type system with which to distinguish objects. The type system and relevant notation is designed to "telescope" to accomodate a level of detail appropriate to a set of c…
The article concerns the problem if a~given system of differential equations is identical with the Euler--Lagrange system of an~appropriate variational integral. Elementary approach is applied. The main results involve the determination of the first--order variational integrals related to the second--order Euler--Lagrange systems.
It is shown that the Euler-Lagrange equations for a Lagrangian system on a Lie algebroid are obtained as the equations for the critical points of the action functional defined on a Banach manifold of curves. The theory of reduction and the relation with Lagrange multiplier method are also studied.
We present a reformulation of the inverse problem of the calculus of variations for time dependent systems of second order ordinary differential equations using the Frölicher-Nijenhuis theory on the first jet bundle, $J^1π$. We prove that a system of time dependent SODE, identified with a semispray $S$, is Lagrangian if and only if a special class, $Λ^1_S(J^1π)$, of semi-basic 1-forms is not empty. We provide global Helmholtz conditions to characterize the class $Λ^1_S(J^1π)$ of semi-basic 1-forms. Each such class contains the Poincaré-Cartan 1-form of some Lagrangian function. We prove that i…
The paper studies the harmonic maps on a direction between a Riemannian space and a generalized Lagrange space. Also, it is proved there that the solutions of C^2 class of certain ODEs or PDEs are harmonic maps, in the sense of this paper.
In this paper, we study the relation between geodesic and harmonic mappings. Harmonic mappings are defined between Riemannian manifolds as critical points of the energy functional, on the other hand, geodesic mappings are defined in a more general setting (manifolds with affine connections). Using the well-established formalism of calculus of variations on fibred manifolds we solve the weak inverse problem for the equation of geodesic mappings and get a variational equation which is a consequence of the geodesic mappings equation. For the connection on the target manifold we get the expected r…
We present a new class of solutions for the inverse problem in the calculus of variations in arbitrary dimension $n$. This is the problem of determining the existence and uniqueness of Lagrangians for systems of $n$ second order ordinary differential equations. We also provide a number of new theorems concerning the inverse problem using exterior differential systems theory (EDS). Concentrating on the differential step of the EDS process, our new results provide a significant advance in the understanding of the inverse problem in arbitrary dimension. In particular, we indicate how to generalis…
A complete solution to the multiplier version of the inverse problem of the calculus of variations is given for a class of hyperbolic systems of second-order partial differential equations in two independent variables. The necessary and sufficient algebraic and differential conditions for the existence of a variational multiplier are derived. It is shown that the number of independent variational multipliers is determined by the nullity of a completely algebraic system of equations associated to the given system of partial differential equations. An algorithm for solving the inverse problem is…
We consider the variational complex on infinite jet space and the complex of variational derivatives for Lagrangians of multidimensional paths and study relations between them. The discussion of the variational (bi)complex is set up in terms of a flat connection in the jet bundle. We extend it to supercase using a particular new class of forms. We establish relation of the complex of variational derivatives and the variational complex. Certain calculus of Lagrangians of multidimensional paths is developed. It is shown how covariant Lagrangians of higher order can be used to represent character…
Reductions of higher tangent bundles of Lie groupoids provide natural examples of geometric structures which we would like to call higher algebroids. Such objects can be also constructed abstractly starting from an arbitrary almost Lie algebroid. A higher algebroid is, in principle, a graded bundle equipped with a differential relation of special kind (a Zakrzewski morphism). In the paper we investigate basic properties of higher algebroids and show some applications. Namely, we develop a geometric framework for variational calculus on higher algebroids (including both forces and momenta). Suc…
We prove a Darboux theorem for formal deformations of Hamiltonian operators of hydrodynamic type (Dubrovin-Novikov). Not all deformations are equivalent to the original operator: there is a moduli 2-stack of normal forms. The paper utilizes three main concepts: 1) dg Lie algebras concentrated in degrees [-1,\infty) such as the Schouten algebra - these give a convenient language for describing deformation problems; 2) the Deligne 2-groupoid associated to such a dg Lie algebra, which represents the moduli of formal deformations; 3) a refined version of the Schouten bracket in the formal calculus…
We propose a unified approach to the theory of connections in the geometry of sprays and Finsler metrics which, in particular, gives a simple explanation of the well-known fact that all the classical Finslerian connections provide exactly the same formulas appearing in the calculus of variations.
In this paper we continue the investigation of Loday's Leibniz cohomology as a new invariant for differentiable manifolds. In particular the Leibniz coboundary of a k-tensor (in the sense of differential geometry) is computed in a local coordinate chart and then interpreted in terms of the calculus of variations. For example, the Leibniz coboundary of the metric two-tensor reduces to the first variation of arc length.
We develop a frame and dyad gauge-independent formalism for the calculus of variations of functionals involving spinorial objects. As part of this formalism we define a modified variation operator which absorbs frame and spin dyad gauge terms. This formalism is applicable to both the standard spacetime (i.e. SL(2,C)) 2-spinors as well as to space (i.e. SU(2,C)) 2-spinors. We compute expressions for the variations of the connection and the curvature spinors.
We present an extension of the classical theory of calculus of variations to generalized functions. The framework is the category of generalized smooth functions, which includes Schwartz distributions while sharing many nonlinear properties with ordinary smooth functions. We prove full connections between extremals and Euler-Lagrange equations, classical necessary and sufficient conditions to have a minimizer, the necessary Legendre condition, Jacobi's theorem on conjugate points and Noether's theorem. We close with an application to low regularity Riemannian geometry.
Infinitesimal variation of Action functional in classical (non-quantum) field theory with higher derivatives is presented in terms of well-defined intrinsic geometric objects independent of the particular field which varies. 'Integration by parts' procedure for this variation is then described in purely formal language and is shown to consist in application of nonlinear Green formula to the vertical differential of the Lagrangian. Euler-Lagrange expressions and the Green operator are calculated by simple pull-backs of certain vector bundle valued differential forms associated with the given va…
