In
mathematics
Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
and
physics
Physics is the natural science that studies matter, its fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge which ...
, Penrose graphical notation or tensor diagram notation is a (usually handwritten) visual depiction of
multilinear function
In linear algebra, a multilinear map is a function of several variables that is linear separately in each variable. More precisely, a multilinear map is a function
:f\colon V_1 \times \cdots \times V_n \to W\text
where V_1,\ldots,V_n and W are ...
s or
tensor
In mathematics, a tensor is an algebraic object that describes a multilinear relationship between sets of algebraic objects related to a vector space. Tensors may map between different objects such as vectors, scalars, and even other tensor ...
s proposed by
Roger Penrose
Sir Roger Penrose (born 8 August 1931) is an English mathematician, mathematical physicist, philosopher of science and Nobel Laureate in Physics. He is Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics in the University of Oxford, an emeritus f ...
in 1971. A diagram in the notation consists of several shapes linked together by lines. The notation has been studied extensively by
Predrag Cvitanović, who used it,
Feynman's diagrams and other related notations in developing birdtracks (a group-theoretical version of Feynman diagrams) to classify the
classical Lie groups. Penrose's notation has also been generalized using
representation theory
Representation theory is a branch of mathematics that studies abstract algebraic structures by ''representing'' their elements as linear transformations of vector spaces, and studies modules over these abstract algebraic structures. In essen ...
to
spin network
In physics, a spin network is a type of diagram which can be used to represent states and interactions between particles and fields in quantum mechanics. From a mathematical perspective, the diagrams are a concise way to represent multilinear ...
s in physics, and with the presence of
matrix group In mathematics, a matrix group is a group ''G'' consisting of invertible matrices over a specified field ''K'', with the operation of matrix multiplication. A linear group is a group that is isomorphic to a matrix group (that is, admitting a fa ...
s to
trace diagrams in
linear algebra
Linear algebra is the branch of mathematics concerning linear equations such as:
:a_1x_1+\cdots +a_nx_n=b,
linear maps such as:
:(x_1, \ldots, x_n) \mapsto a_1x_1+\cdots +a_nx_n,
and their representations in vector spaces and through matrice ...
. The notation widely appears in modern
quantum theory, particularly in
matrix product state
Matrix product state (MPS) is a quantum state of many particles (in N sites), written in the following form:
:
, \Psi\rangle = \sum_ \operatorname\left _1^ A_2^ \cdots A_N^\right, s_1 s_2 \ldots s_N\rangle,
where A_i^ are complex, square matr ...
s and
quantum circuit
In quantum information theory, a quantum circuit is a model for quantum computation, similar to classical circuits, in which a computation is a sequence of quantum gates, measurements, initializations of qubits to known values, and possibly o ...
s.
Interpretations
Multilinear algebra
In the language of
multilinear algebra
Multilinear algebra is a subfield of mathematics that extends the methods of linear algebra. Just as linear algebra is built on the concept of a vector and develops the theory of vector spaces, multilinear algebra builds on the concepts of ''p' ...
, each shape represents a
multilinear function
In linear algebra, a multilinear map is a function of several variables that is linear separately in each variable. More precisely, a multilinear map is a function
:f\colon V_1 \times \cdots \times V_n \to W\text
where V_1,\ldots,V_n and W are ...
. The lines attached to shapes represent the inputs or outputs of a function, and attaching shapes together in some way is essentially the
composition of functions
In mathematics, function composition is an operation that takes two functions and , and produces a function such that . In this operation, the function is applied to the result of applying the function to . That is, the functions and ...
.
Tensors
In the language of
tensor algebra
In mathematics, the tensor algebra of a vector space ''V'', denoted ''T''(''V'') or ''T''(''V''), is the algebra of tensors on ''V'' (of any rank) with multiplication being the tensor product. It is the free algebra on ''V'', in the sense of being ...
, a particular tensor is associated with a particular shape with many lines projecting upwards and downwards, corresponding to
abstract upper and lower indices of tensors respectively. Connecting lines between two shapes corresponds to
contraction of indices. One advantage of this
notation
In linguistics and semiotics, a notation is a system of graphics or symbols, characters and abbreviated expressions, used (for example) in artistic and scientific disciplines to represent technical facts and quantities by convention. Therefore, ...
is that one does not have to invent new letters for new indices. This notation is also explicitly
basis-independent.
Matrices
Each shape represents a matrix, and
tensor multiplication is done horizontally, and
matrix multiplication
In mathematics, particularly in linear algebra, matrix multiplication is a binary operation that produces a matrix from two matrices. For matrix multiplication, the number of columns in the first matrix must be equal to the number of rows in the s ...
is done vertically.
Representation of special tensors
Metric tensor
The
metric tensor
In the mathematical field of differential geometry, a metric tensor (or simply metric) is an additional structure on a manifold (such as a surface) that allows defining distances and angles, just as the inner product on a Euclidean space allow ...
is represented by a U-shaped loop or an upside-down U-shaped loop, depending on the type of tensor that is used.
Levi-Civita tensor
The
Levi-Civita antisymmetric tensor is represented by a thick horizontal bar with sticks pointing downwards or upwards, depending on the type of tensor that is used.
Structure constant
The structure constants (
) of a
Lie algebra
In mathematics, a Lie algebra (pronounced ) is a vector space \mathfrak g together with an operation called the Lie bracket, an alternating bilinear map \mathfrak g \times \mathfrak g \rightarrow \mathfrak g, that satisfies the Jacobi identi ...
are represented by a small triangle with one line pointing upwards and two lines pointing downwards.
Tensor operations
Contraction of indices
Contraction
Contraction may refer to:
Linguistics
* Contraction (grammar), a shortened word
* Poetic contraction, omission of letters for poetic reasons
* Elision, omission of sounds
** Syncope (phonology), omission of sounds in a word
* Synalepha, merged ...
of indices is represented by joining the index lines together.
Symmetrization
Symmetrization
In mathematics, symmetrization is a process that converts any function in n variables to a symmetric function in n variables.
Similarly, antisymmetrization converts any function in n variables into an antisymmetric function.
Two variables
Let S ...
of indices is represented by a thick zig-zag or wavy bar crossing the index lines horizontally.
Antisymmetrization
Antisymmetrization of indices is represented by a thick straight line crossing the index lines horizontally.
Determinant
The determinant is formed by applying antisymmetrization to the indices.
Covariant derivative
The
covariant derivative
In mathematics, the covariant derivative is a way of specifying a derivative along tangent vectors of a manifold. Alternatively, the covariant derivative is a way of introducing and working with a connection on a manifold by means of a differe ...
(
) is represented by a circle around the tensor(s) to be differentiated and a line joined from the circle pointing downwards to represent the lower index of the derivative.
Tensor manipulation
The diagrammatic notation is useful in manipulating tensor algebra. It usually involves a few simple "
identities" of tensor manipulations.
For example,
, where ''n'' is the number of dimensions, is a common "identity".
Riemann curvature tensor
The Ricci and Bianchi identities given in terms of the Riemann curvature tensor illustrate the power of the notation
Extensions
The notation has been extended with support for
spinor
In geometry and physics, spinors are elements of a complex vector space that can be associated with Euclidean space. Like geometric vectors and more general tensors, spinors transform linearly when the Euclidean space is subjected to a sligh ...
s and
twistors.
See also
*
Abstract index notation
Abstract index notation (also referred to as slot-naming index notation) is a mathematical notation for tensors and spinors that uses indices to indicate their types, rather than their components in a particular basis. The indices are mere placeho ...
*
Angular momentum diagrams (quantum mechanics)
In quantum mechanics and its applications to quantum many-particle systems, notably quantum chemistry, angular momentum diagrams, or more accurately from a mathematical viewpoint angular momentum graphs, are a diagrammatic method for representing ...
*
Braided monoidal category In mathematics, a ''commutativity constraint'' \gamma on a monoidal category ''\mathcal'' is a choice of isomorphism \gamma_ : A\otimes B \rightarrow B\otimes A for each pair of objects ''A'' and ''B'' which form a "natural family." In partic ...
*
Categorical quantum mechanics uses tensor diagram notation
*
Matrix product state
Matrix product state (MPS) is a quantum state of many particles (in N sites), written in the following form:
:
, \Psi\rangle = \sum_ \operatorname\left _1^ A_2^ \cdots A_N^\right, s_1 s_2 \ldots s_N\rangle,
where A_i^ are complex, square matr ...
uses Penrose graphical notation
*
Ricci calculus
In mathematics, Ricci calculus constitutes the rules of index notation and manipulation for tensors and tensor fields on a differentiable manifold, with or without a metric tensor or connection. It is also the modern name for what used to be ...
*
Spin network
In physics, a spin network is a type of diagram which can be used to represent states and interactions between particles and fields in quantum mechanics. From a mathematical perspective, the diagrams are a concise way to represent multilinear ...
s
*
Trace diagram
Notes
{{tensors
Tensors
Theoretical physics
Mathematical notation
Diagram algebras