The variational formalism for classical field theories is extended to the setting of Lie algebroids. Given a Lagrangian function we study the problem of finding critical points of the action functional when we restrict the fields to be morphisms of Lie algebroids. In addition to the standard case, our formalism includes as particular examples the case of systems with symmetry (covariant Euler-Poincare and Lagrange Poincare cases), Sigma models or Chern-Simons theories.
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…
The purpose of this paper is describe Lagrangian Mechanics for constrained systems on Lie algebroids, a natural framework which covers a wide range of situations (systems on Lie groups, quotients by the action of a Lie group, standard tangent bundles...). In particular, we are interested in two cases: singular Lagrangian systems and vakonomic mechanics (variational constrained mechanics). Several examples illustrate the interest of these developments.
Variational calculus on a vector bundle E equipped with a structure of a general algebroid is developed, together with the corresponding analogs of Euler-Lagrange equations. Constrained systems are introduced in the variational and in the geometrical setting. The constrained Euler-Lagrange equations are derived for analogs of holonomic, vakonomic and nonholonomic constraints. This general model covers majority of first-order Lagrangian systems which are present in the literature and reduces to the standard variational calculus and the Euler-Lagrange equations in Classical Mechanics for E=TM.
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.
The jet formalism for Classical Field theories is extended to the setting of Lie algebroids. We define the analog of the concept of jet of a section of a bundle and we study some of the geometric structures of the jet manifold. When a Lagrangian function is given, we find the equations of motion in terms of a Cartan form canonically associated to the Lagrangian. The Hamiltonian formalism is also extended to this setting and we find the relation between the solutions of both formalism. When the first Lie algebroid is a tangent bundle we give a variational description of the equations of motion.…
We review some recent results on the theory of Lagrangian systems on Lie algebroids. In particular we consider the symplectic and variational formalism and we study reduction. Finally we also consider optimal control systems on Lie algebroids and we show how to reduce Pontryagin maximum principle.
We associate Hamiltonian homological evolutionary vector fields --which are the non-Abelian variational Lie algebroids' differentials-- with Lie algebra-valued zero-curvature representations for partial differential equations.
An exterior differential calculus in the general framework of generalized Lie algebroids is presented. A theorem of Maurer-Cartan type is obtained. All results with details proofs are presented and a new point of view over exterior differential calculus for Lie algebroids is obtained. Using the theory of linear connections of Ehresmann type presented in the firstt reference, the identities of Cartan and Bianchi type are presented. Supposing that any vector subbundle of the pull-back Lie algebroid of a generalized Lie algebroid is interior differential system (IDS) for that generalized Lie alge…
We introduce a new cohomology for Lie algebroids, and prove that it provides a differential graded Lie algebra which ``controls'' deformations of the structure bracket of the algebroid. We also have a closer look at various special cases such as Lie algebras, Poisson manifolds, foliations, Lie algebra actions on manifolds.
The integration problem of a C-bracket and a Vaisman (metric, pre-DFT) algebroid which are geometric structures of double field theory (DFT) is analyzed. We introduce a notion of a pre-rackoid as a global group-like object for an infinitesimal algebroid structure. We propose that several realizations of pre-rackoid structures. One realization is that elements of a pre-rackoid are defined by cotangent paths along doubled foliations in a para-Hermitian manifold. Another realization is proposed as a formal exponential map of the algebroid of DFT. We show that the pre-rackoid reduces to a rackoid …
The metric algebroid proposed by Vaisman (the Vaisman algebroid) governs the gauge symmetry algebra generated by the C-bracket in double field theory (DFT). We show that the Vaisman algebroid is obtained by an analogue of the Drinfel'd double of Lie algebroids. Based on a geometric realization of doubled space-time as a para-Hermitian manifold, we examine exterior algebras and a para-Dolbeault cohomology on DFT and discuss the structure of the Drinfel'd double behind the DFT gauge symmetry. Similar to the Courant algebroid in the generalized geometry, Lagrangian subbundles $(L,\tilde{L})$ in a…
In this paper, we consider a generalization of variational calculus which allows us to consider in the same framework different cases of mechanical systems, for instance, Lagrangian mechanics, Hamiltonian mechanics, systems subjected to constraints, optimal control theory and so on. This generalized variational calculus is based on two main notions: the tangent lift of curves and the notion of complete lift of a vector field. Both concepts are also adapted for the case of skew-symmetric algebroids, therefore, our formalism easily extends to the case of Lie algebroids and nonholonomic systems. …
Axioms of Lie algebroid are discussed in order to review some known aspects for non-experts. In particular, it is shown that a Lie QD-algebroid (i.e. a Lie algebra bracket on the Functions(M)-module F of sections of a vector bundle E over a manifold M which satisfies [X,fY]=f[X,Y]+A(X,f)Y for all X,Y from F, all f from Functions(M), and for certain A(X,f) from Functions(M)) is a Lie algebroid if rank(E)>1, and is a local Lie algebra in the sense of Kirillov if E is a line bundle. Under a weak condition also the skew-symmetry of the bracket is relaxed.
We investigate geometric aspects of double field theory (DFT) and its formulation as a doubled membrane sigma-model. Starting from the standard Courant algebroid over the phase space of an open membrane, we determine a splitting and a projection to a subbundle that sends the Courant algebroid operations to the corresponding operations in DFT. This describes precisely how the geometric structure of DFT lies in between two Courant algebroids and is reconciled with generalized geometry. We construct the membrane sigma-model that corresponds to DFT, and demonstrate how the standard T-duality orbit…
We associate a Lie $\infty$-algebroid to every resolution of a singular foliation, where we consider a singular foliation as a locally generated $\mathscr{O}$-submodule of vector fields on the underlying manifold closed under Lie bracket. Here $\mathscr{O}$ can be the ring of smooth, holomorphic, or real analytic functions. The choices entering the construction of this Lie $\infty$-algebroid, including the chosen underlying resolution, are unique up to homotopy and, moreover, every other Lie $\infty$-algebroid inducing the same foliation or any of its sub-foliations factorizes through it in an…
On Quantum Aspects of 1-Form Symmetries I: BV-BRST Cohomology and Anomaly Polynomials
The Chinese University of Hong Kong（香港中文大学）；Peking University（北京大学）；Center for High Energy Physics, Peking University（北京大学高能物理中心）；Kavli IPMU (WPI), UTIAS, The University of Tokyo（东京大学UTIAS卡弗里宇宙物理起源研究所）
The geometry of jets of submanifolds is studied, with special interest in the relationship with the calculus of variations. A new intrinsic geometric formulation of the variational problem on jets of submanifolds is given. Working examples are provided.
We generalize the notion of a Lie algebroid over infinite jet bundle by replacing the variational anchor with an N-tuple of differential operators whose images in the Lie algebra of evolutionary vector fields of the jet space are subject to collective commutation closure. The linear space of such operators becomes an algebra with bi-differential structural constants, of which we study the canonical structure. In particular, we show that these constants incorporate bi-differential analogues of Christoffel symbols.
We study conjugate points along homogeneous geodesics in generalized flag manifolds. This is done by analyzing the second variation of the energy of such geodesics. We also give an example of how the homogeneous Ricci flow can evolve in such way to produce conjugate points in the complex projective space $\mathbb{C} P^{2n+1} = Sp(n+1)/({U}(1)\times{Sp}(n))$.
The Seiberg-Witten equations that have recently found important applications for four-dimensional geometry are the Euler-Lagrange equations for a functional involving a connection $A$ on a line bundle $L$ and a section $ϕ$ of another bundle $W^+$ constructed from $L$ and a spinor bundle on a given four-dimensional Riemannian manifold. We show the regularity of weak solutions and the Palais-Smale condition for this functional.
We survey some recent developments in the direction of the Yau-Tian-Donaldson conjecture, which relates the existence of constant scalar curvature Kähler metrics to the algebro-geometric notion of K-stability. The emphasis is put on the use of pluripotential theory and the interpretation of K-stability in terms of non-Archimedean geometry.
We study the existence and properties of metrics maximising the first Laplace eigenvalue among conformal metrics of unit volume on Riemannian surfaces. We describe a general approach to this problem and its higher eigenvalue versions via the direct method of calculus of variations. The principal results include the general regularity properties of $λ_k$-extremal metrics and the existence of a partially regular $λ_1$-maximiser.
We study the spectrum of phase transitions with prescribed mean curvature in Riemannian manifolds. These phase transitions are solutions to an inhomogeneous semilinear elliptic PDE that give rise to diffuse objects (varifolds) that limit to hypersurfaces, possibly with singularities, whose mean curvature is determined by the "prescribed mean curvature" function and the limiting multiplicity. We establish upper bounds for the eigenvalues of the diffuse problem, as well as the more subtle lower bounds when the diffuse problem converges with multiplicity one. For the latter, we also establish asy…
We study the local geometry of the space of horizontal curves with endpoints freely varying in two given submanifolds $\mathcal P$ and $\mathcal Q$ of a manifold $\mathcal M$ endowed with a distribution $\mathcal D\subset T\M$. We give a different proof, that holds in a more general context, of a result by Bismut (Large Deviations and the Malliavin Calculus, Birkhauser, 1984) stating that the normal extremizers that are not abnormal are critical points of the sub-Riemannian action functional. We use the Lagrangian multipliers method in a Hilbert manifold setting, which leads to a characterizat…
The paper is mainly devoted to systematic developments and applications of geometric aspects of second-order variational analysis that are revolved around the concept of parabolic regularity of sets. This concept has been known in variational analysis for more than two decades while being largely underinvestigated. We discover here that parabolic regularity is the key to derive new calculus rules and computation formulas for major second-order generalized differential constructions of variational analysis in connection with some properties of sets that go back to classical differential geometr…
