|
Free Loop
In the mathematical field of topology, a free loop is a variant of the notion of a loop. Whereas a loop has a distinguished point on it, called its basepoint, a free loop lacks such a distinguished point. Formally, let X be a topological space. Then a free loop in X is an equivalence class of continuous functions from the circle S^1 to X. Two loops are equivalent if they differ by a reparameterization of the circle. That is, f \sim g if there exists a homeomorphism \psi : S^1 \rightarrow S^1 such that g = f\circ\psi. Thus, a free loop, as opposed to a based loop used in the definition of the fundamental group, is a map from the circle to the space without the basepoint-preserving restriction. Assuming the space is path-connected, free homotopy classes of free loops correspond to conjugacy classes in the fundamental group. Recently, interest in the space of all free loops LX has grown with the advent of string topology, i.e. the study of new algebraic structures on the homo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mathematics
Mathematics is a field of study that discovers and organizes methods, Mathematical theory, theories and theorems that are developed and Mathematical proof, proved for the needs of empirical sciences and mathematics itself. There are many areas of mathematics, which include number theory (the study of numbers), algebra (the study of formulas and related structures), geometry (the study of shapes and spaces that contain them), Mathematical analysis, analysis (the study of continuous changes), and set theory (presently used as a foundation for all mathematics). Mathematics involves the description and manipulation of mathematical object, abstract objects that consist of either abstraction (mathematics), abstractions from nature orin modern mathematicspurely abstract entities that are stipulated to have certain properties, called axioms. Mathematics uses pure reason to proof (mathematics), prove properties of objects, a ''proof'' consisting of a succession of applications of in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Homotopy
In topology, two continuous functions from one topological space to another are called homotopic (from and ) if one can be "continuously deformed" into the other, such a deformation being called a homotopy ( ; ) between the two functions. A notable use of homotopy is the definition of homotopy groups and cohomotopy groups, important invariants in algebraic topology. In practice, there are technical difficulties in using homotopies with certain spaces. Algebraic topologists work with compactly generated spaces, CW complexes, or spectra. Formal definition Formally, a homotopy between two continuous functions ''f'' and ''g'' from a topological space ''X'' to a topological space ''Y'' is defined to be a continuous function H: X \times ,1\to Y from the product of the space ''X'' with the unit interval , 1to ''Y'' such that H(x,0) = f(x) and H(x,1) = g(x) for all x \in X. If we think of the second parameter of ''H'' as time then ''H'' describes a ''continu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quasigroup
In mathematics, especially in abstract algebra, a quasigroup is an algebraic structure that resembles a group in the sense that " division" is always possible. Quasigroups differ from groups mainly in that the associative and identity element properties are optional. In fact, a nonempty associative quasigroup is a group. A quasigroup that has an identity element is called a loop. Definitions There are at least two structurally equivalent formal definitions of quasigroup: * One defines a quasigroup as a set with one binary operation. * The other, from universal algebra, defines a quasigroup as having three primitive operations. The homomorphic image of a quasigroup that is defined with a single binary operation, however, need not be a quasigroup, in contrast to a quasigroup as having three primitive operations. We begin with the first definition. Algebra A quasigroup is a non-empty set with a binary operation (that is, a magma, indicating that a quasigroup has to sat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Loop (topology)
In mathematics, a loop in a topological space is a continuous function from the unit interval to such that In other words, it is a path whose initial point is equal to its terminal point.. A loop may also be seen as a continuous map from the pointed unit circle into , because may be regarded as a quotient of under the identification of 0 with 1. The set of all loops in forms a space called the loop space of . See also * Free loop * Loop group * Loop space * Loop algebra *Fundamental group *Quasigroup In mathematics, especially in abstract algebra, a quasigroup is an algebraic structure that resembles a group in the sense that " division" is always possible. Quasigroups differ from groups mainly in that the associative and identity element pro ... References Topology es:Grupo fundamental#Lazo {{topology-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Loop Space
In topology, a branch of mathematics, the loop space Ω''X'' of a pointed topological space ''X'' is the space of (based) loops in ''X'', i.e. continuous pointed maps from the pointed circle ''S''1 to ''X'', equipped with the compact-open topology. Two loops can be multiplied by concatenation. With this operation, the loop space is an ''A''∞-space. That is, the multiplication is homotopy-coherently associative. The set of path components of Ω''X'', i.e. the set of based-homotopy equivalence classes of based loops in ''X'', is a group, the fundamental group ''π''1(''X''). The iterated loop spaces of ''X'' are formed by applying Ω a number of times. There is an analogous construction for topological spaces without basepoint. The free loop space of a topological space ''X'' is the space of maps from the circle ''S''1 to ''X'' with the compact-open topology. The free loop space of ''X'' is often denoted by \mathcalX. As a functor, the free loop space construction is rig ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Singular Homology
In algebraic topology, singular homology refers to the study of a certain set of algebraic invariants of a topological space X, the so-called homology groups H_n(X). Intuitively, singular homology counts, for each dimension n, the n-dimensional holes of a space. Singular homology is a particular example of a homology theory, which has now grown to be a rather broad collection of theories. Of the various theories, it is perhaps one of the simpler ones to understand, being built on fairly concrete constructions (see also the related theory simplicial homology). In brief, singular homology is constructed by taking maps of the simplex, standard -simplex to a topological space, and composing them into Free abelian group#Integer functions and formal sums, formal sums, called singular chains. The boundary operation – mapping each n-dimensional simplex to its (n-1)-dimensional boundary operator, boundary – induces the singular chain complex. The singular homology is then ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Algebraic Structure
In mathematics, an algebraic structure or algebraic system consists of a nonempty set ''A'' (called the underlying set, carrier set or domain), a collection of operations on ''A'' (typically binary operations such as addition and multiplication), and a finite set of identities (known as ''axioms'') that these operations must satisfy. An algebraic structure may be based on other algebraic structures with operations and axioms involving several structures. For instance, a vector space involves a second structure called a field, and an operation called ''scalar multiplication'' between elements of the field (called '' scalars''), and elements of the vector space (called '' vectors''). Abstract algebra is the name that is commonly given to the study of algebraic structures. The general theory of algebraic structures has been formalized in universal algebra. Category theory is another formalization that includes also other mathematical structures and functions between structu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
String Topology
String topology, a branch of mathematics, is the study of algebraic structures on the homology of free loop spaces. The field was started by . Motivation While the singular cohomology of a space has always a product structure, this is not true for the singular homology of a space. Nevertheless, it is possible to construct such a structure for an oriented manifold M of dimension d. This is the so-called intersection product. Intuitively, one can describe it as follows: given classes x\in H_p(M) and y\in H_q(M), take their product x\times y \in H_(M\times M) and make it transversal to the diagonal M\hookrightarrow M\times M. The intersection is then a class in H_(M), the intersection product of x and y. One way to make this construction rigorous is to use stratifolds. Another case, where the homology of a space has a product, is the (based) loop space \Omega X of a space X. Here the space itself has a product :m\colon \Omega X\times \Omega X \to \Omega X by going first through t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Conjugacy Class
In mathematics, especially group theory, two elements a and b of a group are conjugate if there is an element g in the group such that b = gag^. This is an equivalence relation whose equivalence classes are called conjugacy classes. In other words, each conjugacy class is closed under b = gag^ for all elements g in the group. Members of the same conjugacy class cannot be distinguished by using only the group structure, and therefore share many properties. The study of conjugacy classes of non-abelian groups is fundamental for the study of their structure. For an abelian group, each conjugacy class is a set containing one element ( singleton set). Functions that are constant for members of the same conjugacy class are called class functions. Definition Let G be a group. Two elements a, b \in G are conjugate if there exists an element g \in G such that gag^ = b, in which case b is called of a and a is called a conjugate of b. In the case of the general linear group \op ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Path-connected
In topology and related branches of mathematics, a connected space is a topological space that cannot be represented as the union of two or more disjoint non-empty open subsets. Connectedness is one of the principal topological properties that distinguish topological spaces. A subset of a topological space X is a if it is a connected space when viewed as a subspace of X. Some related but stronger conditions are path connected, simply connected, and n-connected. Another related notion is locally connected, which neither implies nor follows from connectedness. Formal definition A topological space X is said to be if it is the union of two disjoint non-empty open sets. Otherwise, X is said to be connected. A subset of a topological space is said to be connected if it is connected under its subspace topology. Some authors exclude the empty set (with its unique topology) as a connected space, but this article does not follow that practice. For a topological space X the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Topology
Topology (from the Greek language, Greek words , and ) is the branch of mathematics concerned with the properties of a Mathematical object, geometric object that are preserved under Continuous function, continuous Deformation theory, deformations, such as Stretch factor, stretching, Torsion (mechanics), twisting, crumpling, and bending; that is, without closing holes, opening holes, tearing, gluing, or passing through itself. A topological space is a Set (mathematics), set endowed with a structure, called a ''Topology (structure), topology'', which allows defining continuous deformation of subspaces, and, more generally, all kinds of List of continuity-related mathematical topics, continuity. Euclidean spaces, and, more generally, metric spaces are examples of topological spaces, as any distance or metric defines a topology. The deformations that are considered in topology are homeomorphisms and Homotopy, homotopies. A property that is invariant under such deformations is a to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fundamental Group
In the mathematics, mathematical field of algebraic topology, the fundamental group of a topological space is the group (mathematics), group of the equivalence classes under homotopy of the Loop (topology), loops contained in the space. It records information about the basic shape, or holes, of the topological space. The fundamental group is the first and simplest homotopy group. The fundamental group is a homotopy invariant—topological spaces that are homotopy equivalent (or the stronger case of homeomorphic) have Group isomorphism, isomorphic fundamental groups. The fundamental group of a topological space X is denoted by \pi_1(X). Intuition Start with a space (for example, a surface (mathematics), surface), and some point in it, and all the loops both starting and ending at this point—path (topology), paths that start at this point, wander around and eventually return to the starting point. Two loops can be combined in an obvious way: travel along the first loop, then alo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
