GEOMETRY OF THE COTANGENT BUNDLES WITH

SASAKIAN METRICS AND HARMONICITY.

Abstract. The problem studied in this paper is related to the harmonicity

of a 1-form from a Riemannian manifold (M, g) to its cotangent bundle T ∗ M
equipped with Sasakian metrics.

1. Introduction
Consider a smooth map φ : (M m , g) → (N n , h) between two Riemannian mani-
folds, then the energy functional is defined by
Z
1
(1) E(φ) = |dφ|2 dvg
2 K
(or over any compact subset K ⊂ M ).
A map is called harmonic if it is a critical point of the energy functional E. For
d 
any smooth variation {φt }t∈I of φ with φ0 = φ and V = φt  , we have
dt t=0
Z
d 
(2) E(φt ) =− h(τ (φ), V )dvg

dt t=0 K

where

(3) τ (φ) = traceg ∇dφ

is the tension field of φ. Then we have

Theorem 1. A smooth map φ : (M m , g) → (N n , h) φ is harmonic if and only if

(4) τ (φ) = 0

If (xi )1≤i≤m and if (y α )1≤α≤n denote local coordinates on M and N respectively,

then equation (4) takes the form
 N ∂φβ ∂φγ 
(5) τ (φ)α = ∆φα + g ij Γα
βγ = 0, 1 ≤ α ≤ n.
∂xi ∂xj
where
1 ∂ p ∂φα

∆φα = p i
g ij |g| j
|g| ∂x ∂x
N
is the Laplace operator on (M m , g) and Γα
βγ are the CHristoffel symbols on N .

Key words and phrases. Horizontal lift, vertical lift, cotangent bundles, harmonic maps.
1
2
GEOMETRY OF THE COTANGENT BUNDLES WITH SASAKIAN METRICS AND HARMONICITY.

2. Cotangent bundles T ∗ M
Let (M m , g) be an m-dimensional Riemannian manifold, T ∗ M be its cotangent
bundle and π : T ∗ M → M the natural projection. A local chart (U, xi )i=1,m on
M induces a local chart (π −1 (U ), xi , pi )i=1,m on T ∗ M , where pi is the component
of covectors p in each cotangent space Tx∗ M , x ∈ U with respect to the natural
coframe dxi .
Denote by Γkij the Christoffel symbols of g and by ∇ the Levi-Civita connection
of g.
∂
Let X = X i ∂x i and ω = ωi dx
i
be a local expressions in U ⊂ M of a vector
and covector (1-form) field X ∈ Γ(T M ) and ω ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ), respectively. Then the
horizontal and the vertical lifts of X and ω are defined, respectively by
∂ ∂
(6) X H = X i i + ph Γhij X j ,
∂x ∂pi
∂
(7) ωV = ωi .
∂pi
∂ ∂ h
with respect to the natural frame { ∂x i , ∂p }, where Γij are components of the
i
Levi-Civita connection ∇ on M . (see [13] for more details).
Lemma 1. [13] Let (M, g) be a Riemannian manifold, ∇ be the Levi-Civita con-
nection and R be the Riemannian curvature tensor. Then the Lie bracket of the
cotangent bundle T ∗ M of M satisfies the following
(1) [ω V , θV ] = 0,
(2) [X H , θV ] = (∇X θ)V ,
(3) [X H , Y H ] = [X, Y ]H − (pR(X, Y )u)V ,
for all vector fields X, Y ∈ Γ(T M ) and ω, θ ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ).
For each x ∈ M the scalar product g −1 = (g ij ) is defined on the cotangent space
Tx∗ Mby g −1 (ω, θ) = g ij ωi θj .
Definition 1. Let (M, g) be a Riemannian manifold. The Sasaki metric g S on the
cotangent bundle T ∗ M of M is given by
(1) g S (ω V , θV ) = g −1 (ω, θ) ◦ π,
(2) g S (X H , θV ) = 0,
(3) g S (X H , Y H ) = g(X, Y ) ◦ π,
where X, Y ∈ Γ(T M ), ω, θ ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ),(see [10] for more details).
Theorem 2. [10] Let (M, g) be a Riemannian manifold and (T ∗ M, g S ) its cotan-
gent bundle equipped with the Sasaki metric. If ∇ (resp ∇S ) denote the Levi-Civita
connection of (M, g) (resp (T ∗ M, g S ) ), then we have:
(i) ∇SωV θV = 0,
1
(ii) ∇SX H θV = (∇X θ)V + (R(p̃, θ̃)X)H ,
2
1
(iii) ∇SωV Y H = (R(p̃, ω̃)Y )H ,
2
1
(iv) ∇SX H Y H = (∇X Y )H − (pR(X, Y ))V ,
2
for all X, Y ∈ Γ(T M ) and ω, θ ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ), where p̃ = g −1 ◦ p, ω̃ = g −1 ◦ ω,
θ̃ = g −1 ◦ θ ∈ Γ(T M ) and R denote the curvature tensor of (M, g).
 3
GEOMETRY OF THE COTANGENT BUNDLES WITH SASAKIAN METRICS AND HARMONICITY.

3. Sasaki metric and Harmonicity.

3.1. Harmonic sections ω : (M, g) −→ (T ∗ M, g s ).

Lemma 2. Let (M, g) be a Riemannian manifold. If ω ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ) is a 1-form on

M and (x, p) ∈ T ∗ M such that ωx = p, then we have:

H
dx ω(Xx ) = X(x,p) + (∇X ω)V(x,p) .

where X ∈ Γ(T M ).

Proof.
Let (U, xi ) be a local chart on M in x ∈ M and π −1 (U ), xi , pj ) be the induced chart
on T ∗ M , if Xx = X i (x) ∂x
∂ i
i |x and ωx = ωi (x)dx |x = p, then

∂ ∂ωj ∂
dx ω(Xx ) = X i (x) |(x,p) + X i (x) i (x) |(x,p)
∂xi ∂x ∂pj
∂ ∂
= X i (x) i |(x,p) + ωk (x)Γkji (x)X j (x) |(x,p)
∂x ∂pi
∂ ∂ωj ∂
−ωk (x)Γkji (x)X j (x) |(x,p) + X i (x) i (x) |(x,p)
∂pi ∂x ∂pj
∂ ∂
= X i (x) i |(x,p) + pk Γkji (x)X j (x) |(x,p)
∂x ∂pi
∂ωj ∂ ∂
+X i (x) i (x) |(x,p) − ωk (x)Γkij (x)X i (x) |(x,p)
∂x ∂pj ∂pj
H
 ∂ωj
+ X i (x) (x) − ωk (x)Γkij (x)X i (x) (dxi )V(x,p)

= X(x,p) i
∂x
H
= X(x,p) + (∇X ω)V(x,p) .

Lemma 3. Let (M m , g) be a Riemannian m-dimensional manifold and (T ∗ M, g S )

its cotangent bundle equipped with the Sasaki metric. If ω ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ), then the
energy density associated to ω is given by:

m 1
(8) e(ω) = + traceg g −1 (∇ω, ∇ω).
2 2

Proof. Let (x, p) ∈ T ∗ M , ω ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ), ωx = p and (E1 , · · · , Em ) be a locale

orthonormal frame on M , then:

1
e(ω)x = traceg g S (dω, dω)(x,p)
2
m
1X S
= g (dω(Ei ), dω(Ei ))(x,p)
2 i=1
4
GEOMETRY OF THE COTANGENT BUNDLES WITH SASAKIAN METRICS AND HARMONICITY.

Using Lemma 2, we obtain:

m
1X S H
e(X) = g (Ei + (∇Ei ω)V , EiH + (∇Ei ω)V )
2 i=1
m
1 X S H H
(g (Ei , Ei ) + g S ((∇Ei ω)V , (∇Ei ω)V ))

=
2 i=1
m
1 X
g(Ei , Ei ) + g −1 (∇Ei ω, ∇Ei ω)

=
2 i=1
m 1
= + traceg g −1 (∇ω, ∇ω).
2 2


Theorem 3. Let (M m , g) be a Riemannian m-dimensional manifold and (T ∗ M, g S )

its cotangent bundle equipped with the Sasaki metric. If ω ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ), then the
tension field associated to ω is given by:
g ∗ H + traceg ∇2 ω V ,
   
(9) τ (ω) = traceg R(p̃, ∇ω)

where p̃ = g −1 ◦ p and ∇ω
g = g −1 ◦ ∇ω.

Proof. Let (x, p) ∈ T ∗ M , ω ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ), ωx = p and {Ei }i=1,m be a locale orthonor-

mal frame on M such that (∇M Ei Ei )x = 0, then
m
X
τ (ω)x = {∇ω M
Ei dω(Ei ) − dω(∇Ei Ei )}x
i=1
m
X
= {∇Sdω(Ei ) dω(Ei )}(x,p)
i=1
m
X
= {∇S(E H +(∇E H
ω)V ) (Ei + (∇Ei ω)V )}(x,p)
i i
i=1
m
X
= {∇SE H EiH + ∇SE H (∇Ei ω)V + ∇S(∇E ω)V (Ei )H
i i i
i=1
+∇S(∇E ω)V (∇Ei ω)V }(x,p)
i

Using Theorem 2, we obtain

m h
X 1
τ (ω) = (∇Ei Ei )H − (pR(Ei , Ei ))V
i=1
2
1 1
+(∇Ei ∇Ei ω)V + (R(p̃, ∇ ^ H
Ei ω)Ei ) + (R(p̃, ∇Ei ω)Ei )
^ H
2 2
H V
= (R(p̃, ∇
^ Ei ω)Ei ) + +(∇Ei ∇Ei ω)
g ∗ H + traceg ∇2 ω V ,
   
= traceg R(p̃, ∇ω)


Theorem 4. Let (M m , g) be a Riemannian m-dimensional manifold and (T ∗ M, g S )

its cotangent bundle equipped with the Sasaki metric. If ω ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ), then ω is
 5
GEOMETRY OF THE COTANGENT BUNDLES WITH SASAKIAN METRICS AND HARMONICITY.

harmonic 1-form if and only if the following conditions are verified

g = 0 and traceg ∇2 ω = 0.
traceg R(p̃, ∇ω)∗
Proof. The statement is a direct consequence of Theorem 3. 
Corollary 1. Let (M m , g) be a flat m-dimensional manifold and (T ∗ M, g S ) its
cotangent bundle equipped with the Sasaki metric. If ω ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ), then ω is har-
monic 1-form if and only if the following condition is verified
traceg ∇2 ω = 0.
Corollary 2. Let (M m , g) be a Riemannian m-dimensional manifold and (T ∗ M, g S )
its cotangent bundle equipped with the Sasaki metric. If ω ∈ Γ(T M ) is a parallel
1-form (i.e ∇ω = 0) then ω is harmonic.
Theorem 5. Let (M m , g) be a Riemannian compact m-dimensional manifold and
(T ∗ M, g S ) its cotangent bundle equipped with the Sasaki metric. If ω ∈ Γ(T ∗ M ) is
harmonic 1-form if and only if ω is parallel (i.e ∇ω = 0).
Proof. If ω is parallel from Corollary 2, we deduce that ω is harmonic 1-form.
Inversely, let ϕt be a compactly supported variation of ω defined by:
R×M −→ Tx∗ M
(t, x) 7−→ ϕt (x) = (1 + t)ωx
From lemma 3 we have:
m (1 + t)2
e(ϕt ) = + traceg g −1 (∇ω, ∇ω),
2 2
(1 + t)2
Z
m
E(ϕt ) = V ol(M ) + traceg g −1 (∇ω, ∇ω)dvg
2 2 M
X is harmonic, then we have:
∂
0 = E(ϕt )|t=0
∂t
∂ h (1 + t)2
Z
∂ hm i i
= V ol(M ) + traceg g −1 (∇ω, ∇ω)dvg
∂t 2 t=0 ∂t 2 M t=0
Z
= traceg g −1 (∇ω, ∇ω)dvg
M
which gives
g −1 (∇ω, ∇ω) = 0,
hence ∇ω = 0. 
Example 1. Let S2 × R equipped with the product of canonical metric
g = dα2 + sin2 (α)dψ 2 + dt2 ,
and the 1-form ω = dt. We have, for all k = 1, 3
Γk13 = Γk23 = Γk33 = 0.
i.e
∇ ∂ ω=∇ ∂ ω = ∇ ∂ ω = 0,
∂α ∂ψ ∂t

that is to say ω is parallel, then ω is harmonic.

6
GEOMETRY OF THE COTANGENT BUNDLES WITH SASAKIAN METRICS AND HARMONICITY.

Example 2. Let S1 (Riemannian compact manifold) equipped with the metric:

gS1 = ex dx2 .
The Christoffel symbols of the Levi-cita connection are given by:
1 11 ∂g11 ∂g11 ∂g11 1
Γ111 = g ( + − )= .
2 ∂x1 ∂x1 ∂x1 2
The 1-form ω = f (x)dx , f ∈ C ∞ (S1 ) is harmonic if and only if ω is parallel,
1
∇ω = 0 ⇔ f 0 (x) − f (x) = 0
2
x
⇔ f (x) = k exp( ) , k ∈ R
2
x d
⇔ ω = k exp( ) , k ∈ R.
2 dx
Remark 1. In general , using Corollary 2 and Theorem 5, we can construct many
examples for harmonic 1-forms.
3.2. Harmonicity of the map σ : (M, g) −→ (T ∗ N, hS ).
Lemma 4. Let (M m , g), (N n , h) be tow Riemannian manifolds and ϕ : (M m , g) →
(N n , h) be a smooth map. If σ is a map that covers ϕ, (ϕ = πN ◦ σ) defined by
σ:M −→ T ∗N
x 7−→ (ϕ(x), q)
∗ ∗
where q ∈ Tϕ(x) N and πN : T N → N is the canonical projection, then

(10) dσ(X) = (dϕ(X))H + (∇ϕ V

X σ) ,

for all X ∈ Γ(T M ).

Proof. Let x ∈ M , X ∈ Γ(T M ), ω ∈ Γ(T ∗ N ) such that ωϕ(x) = q ∈ Tϕ(x)
∗
N . Using
Lemma 2, we obtain:
dx σ(Xx ) = dx (ω ◦ ϕ)(Xx )
= dϕ(x) ω(dx ϕ(Xx ))
= (dϕ(X))H V
(ϕ(x),q) + (∇dϕ(X) ω)(ϕ(x),q)
ϕ
= (dϕ(X))H V
(ϕ(x),q) + (∇X σ)(ϕ(x),q) .


Theorem 6. Let (M m , g), (N n , h) be tow Riemannian manifolds, (T ∗ N, hS ) the
cotangent bundle of N equipped with the Sasaki metric and ϕ : (M m , g) → (N n , h)
be a smooth map. The tension field of the map
σ : (M, g) −→ (T ∗ N, hS )
x 7−→ (ϕ(x), q)
∗
such that q ∈ Tϕ(x) N is given by

τ (ϕ) + traceg RN (σ̃, ∇ ϕ σ)dϕ(∗) H + trace (∇ϕ )2 σ V ,

   
(11) τ (σ) = g g

where σ̃ = g −1 ◦σ, ∇
g ϕ σ = g −1 ◦∇ϕ σ and RN denote the curvature tensor of (N, h).
 7
GEOMETRY OF THE COTANGENT BUNDLES WITH SASAKIAN METRICS AND HARMONICITY.

Proof. Let x ∈ M and {Ei }i=1,m be a locale orthonormal frame on M such that
∗
(∇M
Ei Ei )x = 0 and σ(x) = (ϕ(x), q), q ∈ Tϕ(x) N , we have

τ (σ)x = traceg (∇dσ)x

Xm
= {∇σEi dσ(Ei )}(ϕ(x),q)
i=1
m
X ∗
= {∇Tdσ(E
N
i)
dσ(Ei )}(ϕ(x),q)
i=1
m
X ∗ ∗ ϕ
= {∇T(dϕ(E
N
i ))
H (dϕ(Ei ))
H
+ ∇T(dϕ(E
N
i ))
H (∇E σ)
i
V

i=1
∗ ∗ϕ
T N H T N V
+∇(∇ ϕ
σ)V (dϕ(Ei )) + ∇(∇ϕ σ)V (∇Ei σ) }(ϕ(x),q)
Ei Ei

From the theorem 2, we obtain:

m h
X 1
τ (σ) = (∇N H N
dϕ(Ei ) dϕ(Ei )) − (σ̃R (dϕ(Ei ), dϕ(Ei )))
V

i=1
2
ϕ 1 N ϕ
+(∇N V ^
dϕ(Ei ) ∇Ei σ) + (R (σ̃, ∇Ei σ)dϕ(Ei ))
H
2
1 ϕ
i
+ (RN (σ̃, ∇
^
Ei σ)dϕ(E i )) H
2
m h
X
= (∇ϕ H ϕ ϕ V N ^ϕ
Ei dϕ(Ei )) + (∇Ei ∇Ei σ) + (R (σ̃, ∇Ei σ)dϕ(Ei ))
H

i=1
h iH h iV
= τ (ϕ) + traceg RN (σ̃, ∇
] ϕ σ)dϕ(∗) + traceg (∇ϕ )2 σ .

From Theorem 6 we obtain.
Theorem 7. Let (M m , g), (N n , h) be tow Riemannian manifolds, (T ∗ N, hS ) the
cotangent bundle of N equipped with the Sasaki metric and ϕ : (M m , g) → (N n , h)
be a smooth map. The map
σ : (M, g) −→ (T ∗ N, hS )
x 7−→ (ϕ(x), q)
∗
such that q ∈ Tϕ(x) N is a harmonic if and only if the following conditions are
verified
τ (ϕ) = −traceg RN (σ̃, ∇
g ϕ σ)dϕ(∗) and trace (∇ϕ )2 = 0.
g

where σ̃ = g −1 ◦σ, ∇
g ϕ σ = g −1 ◦∇ϕ σ and RN denote the curvature tensor of (N, h).

Corollary 3.
Let (M m , g), (N n , h) be tow Riemannian manifolds, (T ∗ N, hS ) the cotangent bundle
of N equipped with the Sasaki metric and ϕ : (M m , g) → (N n , h) be a smooth map
such that N is flat. The map
σ : (M, g) −→ (T ∗ N, hS )
x 7−→ (ϕ(x), q)
8
GEOMETRY OF THE COTANGENT BUNDLES WITH SASAKIAN METRICS AND HARMONICITY.

is a harmonic if and only if ϕ is harmonic and traceg (∇ϕ )2 = 0.

 9
GEOMETRY OF THE COTANGENT BUNDLES WITH SASAKIAN METRICS AND HARMONICITY.

References
[1] Agca F., g-Natural Metrics on the cotangent bundle, International Electronic Journal of
Geometry, Volume 6 No.1 pp. 129-146 (2013) c IEJG.
[2] Boeckx E. and Vanhecke L, Harmonic and minimal vector fields on unit tangent bundles,
Differential Geometry and Applications Volume 13, Issue 1,July 2000, Pages 77-93.
[3] Calvaruso G., Naturally Harmonic Vector Fields, Note di Matematica, Note Mat.1(2008),
suppl.n.1, 107-130.
[4] Ells J. and Lemaire L., Another report on harmonic maps, Bull. London Math.
Soc.20(1988).385-524.
[5] Ells J.and Sampson J.H.,Harmonic mappings of Riemannian manifolds. Amer.J. Maths. 86
(1964).
[6] Ishihara T., Harmonic sections of tangent bundles. J.Math. Tokushima Univ. 13 1979), 23-27.
[7] Konderak J.J., On Harmonic Vector Fields, Publications Mathematiques.Vol 36, (1992), 217-
288.
[8] Ocak F. and Kazimova S., On a new metric in the cotangent bundle, Transactions of NAS of
Azerbaijan, Issue Mathematics, 38 (1), 128–138 (2018).
[9] Opriou V., On Harmonic Maps Between tangent bundles. Rend. Sem.Mat, Vol 47, 1(1989).
[10] Salimov A.A. and Agca F., Some Properties of Sasakian Metrics in Cotangent Bundles.
Mediterranean Journal of Mathematics; 8(2) (2011). 243-255.
[11] Salimov A.A. and Agca F., Some notes concerning Cheeger-Gromoll metrics Hacettepe Jour-
nal of Mathematics and Statistics, Volume 42 (5) (2013), 533-549.
[12] Sasaki S., On the differential geometry of tangent bundles of Riemannian manifoldsII, Tohoku
Math. J. 14 (1962), 146-155.
[13] Yano K. and Ishihara S. , Tangent and Cotangent Bundles, Marcel Dekker. INC. New York
1973.
[14] Yano K. and Patterson E. M, Vertical and complete lifts from a manifold to its cotangent
bundle, J. Math. Soc. Japan, Vol. 19, No. 1, 1967.
[15] Yano K. and Patterson E. M, Horizontal lifts from a manifold to its cotangent bundle, J.
Math. Soc. Japan, Vol. 19, No. 2, 1967.