General Relativity Lecture 7: Connections - Matthew Raymond

Definition

Let M be a smooth manifold, and Γ(T M ) the C ∞ (M )-module of smooth sections of T M . Then a
connection ∇ on M is a map which satisfies the following;
i ∇X f = Xf ∀f ∈ C ∞ (M );
ii ∇X (T + S) = ∇X T + ∇X S;

iii ∇X (T ⊗ S) = T ⊗ ∇X S + ∇X T ⊗ S;
iv ∇f X+Y T = f · ∇X T + ∇Y T ∀f ∈ C ∞ (M ).

A quintuple (M, O, A, ∇) is a smooth manifold with a connection ∇.

Definition

Let (U, x) ∈ A. Then the dim(M )3 connection coefficient functions are the smooth maps Γijk : M ⊇ U →
R,  
i i ∂
p 7→ Γ jk (p) ≡ dx ∇ ∂k (p).
∂x ∂xj

Result

Let X, Y ∈ Γ(T M ), then ∇X Y ∈ Γ(T M ) has the chart representation,

   
∂ m ∂ q ∂
∇X Y = X i · Y · + X i
· Y m
· Γ mi .
∂xi ∂xm ∂xq

Proof. Proof follows directly from the definition of ∇.

∂
∇X Y = ∇X i ∂ Ym
∂xi ∂xm
∂
= Xi · ∇ ∂i Y m m
∂x ∂x  
i

m
 ∂ i m ∂
= X · ∇ ∂i Y · + X · Y · ∇ ∂
∂x ∂xm ∂xi ∂xm
   
∂ m ∂ q ∂
= Xi · Y · + X i
· Y m
· Γ mi .
∂xi ∂xm ∂xq

On a change of index, the above result becomes,

 
a i ∂ a
(∇X Y ) = X · Y + X i · Y m · Γami .
∂xi

Result

Let T ijk ∈ T 12 M , and (U, x) ∈ A. Then, by the Leibniz rule,

∇X T ijk = X(T ijk ) + Γism T sjk X m − Γsjm T isk X m − Γskm T ijs X m .

It is especially useful to develop a way of quickly recalling index placements in the above equations, as
they all pop up quite often in gravitational physics.

1
 General Relativity Lecture 7: Connections - Matthew Raymond

Result

Given (U, x) ∈ A, we may write ∇ ∂m dxi = Σijm dxj . These Σs are not independent from the connection
∂x
coefficient functions.
Proof. We best know dxi by applying it to a vector field. Proof then follows from the Leibniz rule,
    
∂  ∂ ∂
∇ ∂m dxi = ∇ ∂ dx i
+ dx i
∇ ∂
∂x ∂xj ∂xm ∂xj ∂xm ∂xj

 ∂  

q ∂
= ∇ ∂m dxi + Γ jm dx i
∂x ∂xj ∂xq
  ∂
= ∇ ∂m dxi + Γqjm δ iq .
∂x ∂xj
On rearrangement, we find the Γs differ from the Σs by a sign,
 
i j

i

j ∂
−Γ jm dx = ∇ ∂m dx dx = ∇ ∂m dxi .
∂x ∂xj ∂x

Let ω ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ) and X ∈ Γ(T M ). Then, by a similar calculation,

 
i ∂
(∇X ω)b = X · ωb + ωs · X m · Γsbm .
∂xi

Result
S
Let (U, x), (V, y) ∈ A, with {U, V } =
6 ∅. Then the coordinate coefficient functions transform by,

∂y i ∂ 2 xq ∂y i ∂xs ∂xp q
Γi(y)jk = + Γ .
q k
∂x ∂y ∂y j ∂xq ∂y j ∂y k (x)sq
Proof. Proof follows from the definition of ∇.
 
i i ∂
Γ (y)jk = dy ∇ ∂k j
∂y ∂y

∂y i ∂xs ∂
 
q
= dx ∇ ∂xp ∂
∂xq ∂y k ∂x ∂y ∂x
p j s

∂y i ∂xp ∂xs ∂xs

    
q ∂ ∂
= dx ∇ ∂ + ∇ ∂
∂xq ∂y k ∂xp ∂y j ∂xs ∂y j ∂xp ∂xs

∂y i ∂xp ∂ ∂xs ∂ ∂xp ∂xs ∂ q

 
q
= dx + Γ
∂xq ∂y k ∂xp ∂y j ∂xs ∂y k ∂y j ∂xq (x)sq
∂y i ∂ ∂xs q ∂y i ∂xp ∂xs q q
= δs+ δ Γ
q
∂x ∂y ∂yk j ∂xq ∂y k ∂y j q (x)sq
∂y i ∂ 2 xq ∂y i ∂xp ∂xs q
= + Γ .
q
∂x ∂y y k j ∂xq ∂y k ∂y j (x)sq

Definition

Where T ijk is the torsion tensor; a connection ∇ of (M, O, A, ∇) is called torsion free if,

Γi[jk] ≡ T ijk = 0. (1)

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Result

Let (M, O, A, ∇) be a smooth manifold with a connection ∇, and p ∈ M . Then one can construct a chart
(U, x̃) with p ∈ U such that
Γ̃i(jk) (p) = 0.
at the point p.

Proof. Let (V, x) ∈ A with p ∈ V . In general, the above does not hold. Then consider (U, x̃) ∈ A to which
one transits by virtue of
1
(x̃ ◦ x−1 )i (α1 , . . . , αd ) ≡ αi − Γi(mk) (p) · αm αk .
2
The commutativity of R-multiplication automatically symmetrises the lower indices. Then,
 i
∂ x̃ 1
= δ ij − Γi(mk) (p) · (δ mj αk + αm δ kj )
∂xj p 2
1
= δ ij − (Γi(jk) (p) · αk + Γi(mj) (p) · αm )
2
1
= δ ij − (Γi(jk) (p) · αk + Γi(jm) (p) · αm )
2
= δ ij − Γi(jk) (p) · αk .

In a similar manner,
∂ 2 x̃i
 
= −Γi(jk) (p) · δ kn = −Γi(jn) (p).
∂xj ∂xn p

Without loss of generality, fix x(p) = (0, . . . , 0). Then by the Γ transformation rule,

Γ̃ijk (p) = Γijk (p) − Γi(jn) (p) · δ nk = Γijk (p) − Γi(jk) (p) = T ijk .