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Metric-affine Gravitation Theory
In comparison with General Relativity, dynamic variables of metric-affine gravitation theory are both a pseudo-Riemannian manifold, pseudo-Riemannian metric and a connection (vector bundle), general linear connection on a world manifold . Metric-affine gravitation theory has been suggested as a natural generalization of Einstein–Cartan theory of gravity with torsion tensor, torsion where a linear connection obeys the condition that a covariant derivative of a metric equals zero. Metric-affine gravitation theory straightforwardly comes from gauge gravitation theory where a general linear connection plays the role of a gauge theory, gauge field. Let TX be the tangent bundle over a manifold X provided with bundle coordinates . A general linear connection on TX is represented by a connection (fibred manifold), connection tangent-valued form: : \Gamma=dx^\lambda\otimes(\partial_\lambda +\Gamma_\lambda^\mu_\nu\dot x^\nu\dot\partial_\mu). It is associated to a connection (principal bundl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
General Relativity
General relativity, also known as the general theory of relativity, and as Einstein's theory of gravity, is the differential geometry, geometric theory of gravitation published by Albert Einstein in 1915 and is the current description of gravitation in modern physics. General theory of relativity, relativity generalizes special relativity and refines Newton's law of universal gravitation, providing a unified description of gravity as a geometric property of space and time in physics, time, or four-dimensional spacetime. In particular, the ''curvature of spacetime'' is directly related to the energy and momentum of whatever is present, including matter and radiation. The relation is specified by the Einstein field equations, a system of second-order partial differential equations. Newton's law of universal gravitation, which describes gravity in classical mechanics, can be seen as a prediction of general relativity for the almost flat spacetime geometry around stationary mass ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
General Covariant Transformations
In physics, general covariant transformations are symmetries of gravitation theory on a world manifold X. They are gauge transformations whose parameter functions are vector fields on X. From the physical viewpoint, general covariant transformations are treated as particular ( holonomic) reference frame transformations in general relativity. In mathematics, general covariant transformations are defined as particular automorphisms of so-called natural fiber bundles. Mathematical definition Let \pi:Y\to X be a fibered manifold with local fibered coordinates (x^\lambda, y^i)\,. Every automorphism of Y is projected onto a diffeomorphism of its base X. However, the converse is not true. A diffeomorphism of X need not give rise to an automorphism of Y. In particular, an infinitesimal generator of a one-parameter Lie group of automorphisms of Y is a projectable vector field : u=u^\lambda(x^\mu)\partial_\lambda + u^i(x^\mu,y^j)\partial_i on Y. This vector field is proje ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gauge Gravitation Theory
In quantum field theory, gauge gravitation theory is the effort to extend Yang–Mills theory, which provides a universal description of the fundamental interactions, to describe gravity. ''Gauge gravitation theory'' should not be confused with the similarly named gauge theory gravity, which is a formulation of (classical) gravitation in the language of geometric algebra. Nor should it be confused with Kaluza–Klein theory, where the gauge fields are used to describe particle fields, but not gravity itself. Overview The first gauge model of gravity was suggested by Ryoyu Utiyama (1916–1990) in 1956 just two years after birth of the gauge theory itself. However, the initial attempts to construct the gauge theory of gravity by analogy with the gauge models of internal symmetries encountered a problem of treating general covariant transformations and establishing the gauge status of a pseudo-Riemannian metric (a tetrad field). In order to overcome this drawback, representing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Conformal Symmetry
Conformal symmetry is a property of spacetime that ensures angles remain unchanged even when distances are altered. If you stretch, compress, or otherwise distort spacetime, the local angular relationships between lines or curves stay the same. This idea extends the familiar Poincaré group —which accounts for rotations, translations, and boosts—into the more comprehensive conformal group. Conformal symmetry encompasses special conformal transformations and dilations. In three spatial plus one time dimensions, conformal symmetry has 15 degrees of freedom: ten for the Poincaré group, four for special conformal transformations, and one for a dilation. Harry Bateman and Ebenezer Cunningham were the first to study the conformal symmetry of Maxwell's equations. They called a generic expression of conformal symmetry a spherical wave transformation. General relativity in two spacetime dimensions also enjoys conformal symmetry. Generators The Lie algebra of the conformal grou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Noether's Theorem
Noether's theorem states that every continuous symmetry of the action of a physical system with conservative forces has a corresponding conservation law. This is the first of two theorems (see Noether's second theorem) published by the mathematician Emmy Noether in 1918. The action of a physical system is the integral over time of a Lagrangian function, from which the system's behavior can be determined by the principle of least action. This theorem applies to continuous and smooth symmetries of physical space. Noether's formulation is quite general and has been applied across classical mechanics, high energy physics, and recently statistical mechanics. Noether's theorem is used in theoretical physics and the calculus of variations. It reveals the fundamental relation between the symmetries of a physical system and the conservation laws. It also made modern theoretical physicists much more focused on symmetries of physical systems. A generalization of the formulations ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dirac Operator
In mathematics and in quantum mechanics, a Dirac operator is a first-order differential operator that is a formal square root, or half-iterate, of a second-order differential operator such as a Laplacian. It was introduced in 1847 by William Hamilton and in 1928 by Paul Dirac. The question which concerned Dirac was to factorise formally the Laplace operator of the Minkowski space, to get an equation for the wave function which would be compatible with special relativity. Formal definition In general, let ''D'' be a first-order differential operator acting on a vector bundle ''V'' over a Riemannian manifold ''M''. If : D^2=\Delta, \, where ∆ is the (positive, or geometric) Laplacian of ''V'', then ''D'' is called a Dirac operator. Note that there are two different conventions as to how the Laplace operator is defined: the "analytic" Laplacian, which could be characterized in \R^n as \Delta=\nabla^2=\sum_^n\Big(\frac\Big)^2 (which is negative-definite, in the sense that \ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
G-structure
In differential geometry, a ''G''-structure on an ''n''-manifold ''M'', for a given structure group ''G'', is a principal ''G''- subbundle of the tangent frame bundle F''M'' (or GL(''M'')) of ''M''. The notion of ''G''-structures includes various classical structures that can be defined on manifolds, which in some cases are tensor fields. For example, for the orthogonal group, an O(''n'')-structure defines a Riemannian metric, and for the special linear group an SL(''n'',R)-structure is the same as a volume form. For the trivial group, an -structure consists of an absolute parallelism of the manifold. Generalising this idea to arbitrary principal bundles on topological spaces, one can ask if a principal G-bundle over a group G "comes from" a subgroup H of G. This is called reduction of the structure group (to H). Several structures on manifolds, such as a complex structure, a symplectic structure, or a Kähler structure, are ''G''-structures with an additional integrabi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Levi-Civita Connection
In Riemannian or pseudo-Riemannian geometry (in particular the Lorentzian geometry of general relativity), the Levi-Civita connection is the unique affine connection on the tangent bundle of a manifold that preserves the ( pseudo-) Riemannian metric and is torsion-free. The fundamental theorem of Riemannian geometry states that there is a unique connection that satisfies these properties. In the theory of Riemannian and pseudo-Riemannian manifolds the term covariant derivative is often used for the Levi-Civita connection. The components (structure coefficients) of this connection with respect to a system of local coordinates are called Christoffel symbols. History The Levi-Civita connection is named after Tullio Levi-Civita, although originally "discovered" by Elwin Bruno Christoffel. Levi-Civita, along with Gregorio Ricci-Curbastro, used Christoffel's symbols to define the notion of parallel transport and explore the relationship of parallel transport with the c ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Scalar Curvature
In the mathematical field of Riemannian geometry, the scalar curvature (or the Ricci scalar) is a measure of the curvature of a Riemannian manifold. To each point on a Riemannian manifold, it assigns a single real number determined by the geometry of the metric near that point. It is defined by a complicated explicit formula in terms of partial derivatives of the metric components, although it is also characterized by the volume of infinitesimally small geodesic balls. In the context of the differential geometry of surfaces, the scalar curvature is twice the Gaussian curvature, and completely characterizes the curvature of a surface. In higher dimensions, however, the scalar curvature only represents one particular part of the Riemann curvature tensor. The definition of scalar curvature via partial derivatives is also valid in the more general setting of pseudo-Riemannian manifolds. This is significant in general relativity, where scalar curvature of a Lorentzian metric is one of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
F(R) Gravity
In physics, ''f''(''R'') is a type of modified gravity theory which generalizes Einstein's general relativity. ''f''(''R'') gravity is actually a family of theories, each one defined by a different function, , of the Ricci scalar, . The simplest case is just the function being equal to the scalar; this is general relativity. As a consequence of introducing an arbitrary function, there may be freedom to explain the accelerated expansion and structure formation of the Universe without adding unknown forms of dark energy or dark matter. Some functional forms may be inspired by corrections arising from a quantum theory of gravity. ''f''(''R'') gravity was first proposed in 1970 by Hans Adolph Buchdahl (although was used rather than for the name of the arbitrary function). It has become an active field of research following work by Alexei Starobinsky on cosmic inflation. A wide range of phenomena can be produced from this theory by adopting different functions; however, many ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lagrangian (field Theory)
Lagrangian field theory is a formalism in classical field theory. It is the field-theoretic analogue of Lagrangian mechanics. Lagrangian mechanics is used to analyze the motion of a system of discrete particles each with a finite number of degrees of freedom. Lagrangian field theory applies to continua and fields, which have an infinite number of degrees of freedom. One motivation for the development of the Lagrangian formalism on fields, and more generally, for classical field theory, is to provide a clear mathematical foundation for quantum field theory, which is infamously beset by formal difficulties that make it unacceptable as a mathematical theory. The Lagrangians presented here are identical to their quantum equivalents, but, in treating the fields as classical fields, instead of being quantized, one can provide definitions and obtain solutions with properties compatible with the conventional formal approach to the mathematics of partial differential equations. This enabl ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
