Questions tagged [tangent-spaces]

This tag is for questions regarding to the tangent space, the linear space that best approximates an object at a given point. Intuitively, the tangent space $ T_p(M)$ at a point $ p$ on an $ n$-dimensional manifold $ M$ is an $ n$-dimensional hyperplane in $ {\mathbb{R}}^m$ that best approximates $ M$ around $ p$, when the hyperplane origin is translated to $ p$.

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The tangent space of a ringed space could be a module over a ring?

Quick question : The tangent space of a ringed space could be a module over a ring ? If so, how could it be ? I did not find anything online. Thank you
Esmond's user avatar
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Is the 1-parameter subgroups of noncommutative Von Neumann algebra linked to 1-parameter subgroups of Lie groups?

I have read "Von Neumann Algebra Automorphisms and Time-Thermodynamics Relation in General Covariant Quantum Theories" of C. Rovelli and A. Connes, and I've been asking to myself whether the ...
Esmond's user avatar
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1 answer
76 views

Is there a way to convert an element of $\mathfrak{so}(3)/\mathfrak{so}(2)$ into a "geometric" tangent vector on $S^2$?

From my understanding, the tangent space at the identity of the homogeneous space $\rm SO(3) / \rm SO(2)$ is just the quotient space $\mathfrak{so}(3) / \mathfrak{so}(2)$. An element in this quotient ...
Max0815's user avatar
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Defining the Tangent space to the boundary of a manifold $T_p(\partial S)$

While studying manifolds I am having some problem with definition of manifold with boundary.Let $S$ be a regular $n$-level surface in $\mathbb R^{n+1}$ with boundary defined by $S=f^{-1}(0)\cap (\...
Kishalay Sarkar's user avatar
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35 views

Product rule for matrix-vector product

Suppose that $x \in L^2([0,1], \mathbb{R}^m)$ is a vector valued function and $A(x)$ is a ($m \times m$)-matrix whose entries are the components of $x$. Then consider a differentiable curve $\gamma: (-...
motionart's user avatar
  • 130
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2 answers
49 views

Notation for vector tangent to a curve on a differentiable manifold

A result for differentiable maps that I'll use: let $F:M\to N$, where $M,N$ are smooth manifolds and $F$ is a smooth map. If $(U,x)$ is a chart around $p\in M$ and $(V,y)$ is a chart around $F(p)\in N$...
Shirish Kulhari's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
45 views

Pulling back tangent vectors to basis the tangent bundle

Suppose we have a differentiable manifold and coordinate chart $M \xrightarrow{\phi=(x, y)} \mathbb R^2$ Let $f: M \rightarrow \mathbb R$ be a $C^\infty M$ function specified "in $(x, y)$ ...
Mark's user avatar
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2 votes
0 answers
61 views

Finding the tangent hyperplane to a unit hypersphere in $n$ dimensions

Please forgive me if this has already been posted, although I could not find any specific question related enough to my problem (or it might be and I just lack the mathematical background to ...
Filip's user avatar
  • 21
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35 views

Disjoint union of $\Lambda^k(T_p U)$ as a bundle.

While studying differential geometry of Manifolds,one has surely come across the space of all alternating $k$-tensors on a vector space $V$ (say of finite dimension $n$). We denote it by $$ \Lambda^k(...
Kishalay Sarkar's user avatar
1 vote
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108 views

Tangent space of a quotient of an algebraic variety

A word of warning: I have no background in algebraic geometry, so please excuse my ignorance. References welcome (but please refrain from saying things like "read Hartshorne's Algebraic Geometry, ...
Margaret's user avatar
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4 votes
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112 views

An algebraic stack as a non-linear analog of a complex of vector spaces

In their paper Derived Quot Schemes Kapranov and Ciocane-Fontanine write in the introduction: Indeed, an algebraic stack is a nonlinear analog of a complex of vector spaces situated in degrees $[-1,0]...
Margaret's user avatar
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36 views

Algebraic tangent space of image of a morphism

I'm getting lost trying to figure out what seems to be a simple question. I've looked in Shafarevich and Görtz & Wedhorn but the points are usually dealt with using schemes, which I haven't gotten ...
Absent mind's user avatar
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42 views

Tangent space at a point of product of algebraic varieties

Let $X$ and $Y$ be algebraic varieties over an algebraically closed field $k$. Consider two points $a\in X$ and $b\in X$. I want to prove that the natural projection maps $p_X:X\times Y\to X$ and $p_Y:...
Albert's user avatar
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52 views

Formula for the differential between tangent spaces

I am trying to answer the following question: Show that, for any $h: \mathbb{R}^n \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^k$ smooth and $p \in \mathbb{R}^n$, its differential between the abstract tangent spaces (white ...
Jaap1634's user avatar
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1 answer
75 views

Confusion about the isomorphism between directional derivatives and tangent vectors

A directional derivative $D_v: C^{\infty}(U) \to \mathbb{R}$ is a derivation on $U$ since it is linear and obeys the product rule. A typical definition of a tangent space at point $p$ on some manifold ...
Max0815's user avatar
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Prove tangent space is in a hyperplane

Theorem: Let $A$ be open and $f:A\subset\mathbb{R}^n\to \mathbb{R}$ such that $f$ is differentiable at $a$. Then, the tangent space of $S_{f(a)}$ at $a$ is contained in the hyperplane $\{D_af(x)=0\}$ ...
user926356's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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What does "mod" mean in the context of this tangent space proof in Warner?

I'm trying to read Frank Warner's Foundations of Differentiable Manifolds and Lie Groups and got confused with Theorem $1.17$ as some who does not have a pure mathematics background. Let $F_m$ be the ...
AlexanderPope's user avatar
1 vote
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89 views

Can a Riemannian metric be defined in terms of the cotangent space?

I have always thought of Riemannian metrics as being an inner product assigned to each tangent space. That is, if $M$ is a manifold, then at any point $p \in M$, $$g_p: T_pM \times T_pM \rightarrow \...
CBBAM's user avatar
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3 votes
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How to characterize the tangent space $T_f C^\infty(K, \mathbb{R}^n)$ and paths in $C^\infty(K, \mathbb{R}^n)$

Let $K \subset \mathbb{R}$ be compact. For any function $f \in C^\infty(K, \mathbb{R}^n)$ how would one characterize the tangent space $T_f C^\infty(K, \mathbb{R}^n)$? I am following a set of notes ...
CBBAM's user avatar
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1 vote
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The relationship of tangent space between submanifold and manifold.

I was confused when I prove the next Proposition appeared in the book Introduction to smooth manifolds by Lee. Suppose $M$ is a smooth manifold with or without boundary ,$S\subset M$ is an immersed ...
Lacen's user avatar
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Is the direction derivatives of (orthonormal) normal vector(s) in its own direction in the tangent space?

Let $M$ be a smooth manifold of dimension $d$ embedded in dimension $D>d$. Let $n_1,\dotsc, n_K$ be any orthonormal basis for $N_xM := T_xM^{\perp}$, the orthogonal complement of the tangent space ...
Nap D. Lover's user avatar
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1 answer
66 views

Tangent vector and the cotangent space

I tried to prove that $\{dx^i\}$ is the basis of the cotangent space $T_pM$ of a manifold $M$ for $x^1,\dots,x^n$ local coordinates in neighborhood $U$ of $p\in M$. I reed somewhere that $dx^iX_p=X_p(...
Schrödinger's cat's user avatar
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1 answer
48 views

Finding the tangent vector of a cubesphere using world coordinates

TLDR.: I’m trying to find the tangent vector of a cubesphere using only world space coordinates. Background: A cubesphere is basically just an inflated cube. It is commonly used to project 2D textures ...
geht sie gar nix an's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
50 views

Consistency between two different ways of defining an orientation on $S^n$

In the book Topology, Geometry and Gauge Fields Interactions by Gregory L. Naber, he defines the standard orientation of $S^n$ (viewed as a subset of $\mathbb{R}^{n+1}$), $n\geq 2$ by the oriented ...
pofu curj's user avatar
  • 241
1 vote
2 answers
55 views

Singularities of the intersection of quasiprojective schemes

I'm getting hung up on what should be a fairly simple application of definitions in Poonen's paper on Bertini over finite fields. Here's the setup: $S=\mathbb{F}_q[x_0,\dots,x_n]$ $S_d$ consists of ...
rtvictro's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
92 views

What properties define the tangent bundle up to diffeomorphism?

In the theory of smooth manifolds there are many ways in which the tangent bundle can be defined, begging the question: what set of properties define the tangent bundle 'up to diffeomorphism'? These ...
Sam's user avatar
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4 votes
1 answer
99 views

Book that Develops the Theory of Tangent Space whilst Defining Tangent Vectors as Equivalence Classes of Curves

Currently reading Lee's Introduction to Smooth Manifolds. At the end of chapter $3$ he mentions that tangent vectors may be defined in terms of equivalence classes of curves, but by that time he has ...
Sam's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
75 views

Interpretation of basis of tangent space

Suppose a regular surface $S\subset \Bbb R^3$ parametrized by $\Sigma:U\to \Bbb R^3:(x_1,x_2)\mapsto (x(x_1,x_2),y(x_1,x_2),z(x_1,x_2))$. If $p=\Sigma(u_0,v_0)\in S$, then the tangent space to $S$ at $...
SK_'s user avatar
  • 541
2 votes
1 answer
118 views

Tangent vectors as differential operators vs equivalence classes of curve in manifold

Suppose we have a curve $\alpha: \mathbb{R} \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^2$ through $p \in \mathbb{R}^2$ and $f: \mathbb{R}^2 \rightarrow \mathbb{R}$ is a smooth function. Then $f \circ \alpha: \mathbb{R} \...
N00BMaster's user avatar
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0 answers
43 views

On Marsden's 'Introduction to Mechanics and Symmetry' Exercise 4.3-3. (orientability of product manifold)

Given two differentiable manifolds $\mathcal M$ and $\mathcal N$ I needed to show that $$\mathcal M, \; \mathcal N \mbox{ orientable } \Rightarrow \mathcal M \times \mathcal N \mbox{ orientable.}$$ ...
Alfons Winkel's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
92 views

Is there an Approximate tangent space that is NOT a Classical tangent space?

First given $M \subset \mathbb{R}^n$, and $x \in \mathbb{R}^n$, $r>0$, we define the blow up by: $$ \Phi_{x,r}(y) = \frac{y-x}{r}.$$ We say $x \in \mathbb{R}^n$ has a $k$ dimensional approximate ...
user35687's user avatar
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0 answers
30 views

Coordinate transformations of the tangent bundle as a manifold.

My question can be summarized as: Let $\mathcal{M}$ be a smooth manifold and $T\mathcal{M}$ be its tangent bundle. It's well known that $T\mathcal{M}$ can be viewed as a smooth manifold. Then how does ...
gaoqiang's user avatar
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0 answers
26 views

tangent vector of a disk embedded in R^3

Consider in $\mathbb{R}^3$ the plane $N: x+y+z=0$ and the sphere $S: (x-a)^2+(y-b)^2+(z-c)=r$, where $r$ is fixed. The intersection $N\cap S$ is the disk embedded in $\mathbb{R}^3$. I would like to ...
Smilia's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
152 views

Understanding the "abuse of notation" in the differential of tangent vectors

I am reading John Lee's Smooth Manifolds book, current looking at the bottom of Page 63 in which we are working out what the differential looks like in the special case that it's along the transition ...
Charlie's user avatar
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0 answers
47 views

The domain of derivative of a function defined on a manifold

For a function $f:X \to R$, where $X$ is a manifold. For any point $x \in X$, the derivative of $f$ at $x$ is $[Df(x)]:T_xX\to R$. And $T_xX$ is the tangent space of $X$ at point $x$. Why is the ...
Markov Wallenstein's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
69 views

Checking smoothness of curves and finding multiplicites.

I am asked to check whether or not this curve is smooth (and if not provide singular points): $x_2^2x_0 = x_1^3 - x_1x_0^2$. The way I approached this was by to use the projective Jacobi criterion on ...
Carson Newman's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
178 views

Approximate tangent space agrees with tangent space of submanifold of $\mathbb{R}^n$

I am stuck on trying to prove that the approximate tangent space of a submanifold of $\mathbb{R}^n$ agrees with its tangent space. To make things more precise I'll give the relevant definitions. Note ...
Lorago's user avatar
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0 answers
52 views

Set of linearly independent vectors in a tangent-space that spans a non-degenerate 2-plane are dense in the cartesian product of the tangent-space.

Let $R$ be the riemann curvature tensor, viewed as a $(0,4)$-tensor field. For $p \in M$, where we have a semi-riemannian manifold $(M,g)$, we can look at linearly independent vectors $u,v \in T_pM$ ...
Ben123's user avatar
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How to find the tangent cone of $A = \{(x, y) \in \mathbb{R}^2: \; y = \sqrt{|x|}\}$ at the origin?

My problem is pretty much stated in the title. I don't quite know how to approach this. I have the definition of a tangent cone to a set $K\subset \mathbb{R}^n$ at a point $x$: A tangent vector $l \in ...
fabs's user avatar
  • 21
4 votes
1 answer
52 views

For an equation that gives function value at a point, how do I apply a differential operator?

(Note: Using Einstein summation convention throughout) I'm trying to understand Theorem 2.2.1 in Wald's General Relativity book. We have a smooth manifold $M$, with $p\in M$ and $(O,\psi)$ an open ...
Shirish Kulhari's user avatar
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0 answers
23 views

Difference between tangent spaces of O(n, R) and SO(n, R) [duplicate]

I know that $O(n, \mathbb{R})$ is a group of nxn matrices satisfying $X^TX=I$, and $SO(n, \mathbb{R})$ has additional condition of positive determinant. But I have no idea about how could those groups'...
장지훈's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
32 views

Bases for tangent spaces and contractions

Let $M$ be a smooth manifold, $X$ a smooth outward pointing vector field on $\partial M$, and $\omega$ an orientation form on $M$. In Tu's Introduction to Manifolds, he proves that the contraction of $...
CBBAM's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
104 views

How can I compute the differential of this function between surfaces $C$ and $G$?

Let me consider the surface $S:=\{(x,y,z): x^2+y^2=1\}$ and $G:=\{(0,y,z): y,z\in \Bbb{R}\}$ and define $f:C\rightarrow G$ by $f(x,y,z)=(0,y,z)$. Let us take the following two patches for $C$ and $G$: ...
user123234's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
53 views

The Jacobian of the nearest point map is an orthogonal projection map.

I'm reading a book about harmonic maps and at some point they said something I did not understand. Let $(N, h)$ be a compact Rimannian manifold. By the isometric embedding theorem by Nash, the exists $...
Falcon's user avatar
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0 votes
0 answers
53 views

Showing that if two curves are equivalent under a chart then it holds for other every other chart

Fix $p\in M$. Consider all smooth curves $c : (-\epsilon,\epsilon) \rightarrow M$ with $c(0) = p$. We say that two such curves $c_1$ and $c_2$ are equivalent if there exist some smooth chart $(U,\phi)$...
user57's user avatar
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0 answers
67 views

Lie algebra of a Lie group (a question from PSE) [duplicate]

I'm going through some notes on group theory for physics. After introducing the concept of Lie group and Lie algebra the writer makes the connection between the two. Let $G$ be a Lie group of ...
john's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
44 views

Try to find a nowhere vanishing vector field $F$ on $S^1$ such that $F(\vec{x})$ is tangent to $S^1$ at $\vec{x}$

The definition of a tangent vector field in my book is the following: This is from "Munkres-Analysis on Manifolds" I want to define a vector field $V$ on a unit circle $S(1)$ that nowhere ...
M_k's user avatar
  • 1,727
0 votes
1 answer
61 views

Tangent space at a point in invertible upper triangular matrices

Let $p\in M$ with $M$ being the group of invertible upper triangular matrices. Determine $T_pM$. My idea - I know that $M$ is a submanifold of the vector space $U_n$ (upper triangular matrices). ...
GBA's user avatar
  • 4,331
1 vote
1 answer
75 views

Clarification of the differential in local coordinates

Let $f : N \rightarrow M$ be a smooth map. Fix $q \in N$ and consider a curve $\gamma : [0,T] \rightarrow N$ such that $\gamma(0) = q$ and $\dot{\gamma}(0) = v = \frac{d}{dt}\mid_{t=0}\gamma(t)$. Now, ...
user57's user avatar
  • 475
1 vote
0 answers
45 views

The method of Lagrange Multipliers in Classical Mechanics

The context I am studying constrained systems in Classical Mechanics following the book Anaytical Mechanics. The autor considers a system of $p$ non-holonomic constraints that have the form \begin{...
Pedro Huot's user avatar

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