Tensors and Manifolds

with Applications to Mechanics and Relativity

Robert H. Wasserman

Department of Mathematics
Michigan State University
Preface
This book is based on courses taken by advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate students in
mathematics and physics at Michigan State University.

The courses were intended to present an introduction to the expanse of modern mathematics and its application
in modern physics. The book gives an introductory perspective to young students intending to go into a field of
pure mathematics, and who, with the usual "pigeon-holed" graduate curriculum, will not get an overall
perspective for several years, much less any idea of application. At the same time, it gives a glimpse of a variety
of pure mathematics for applied mathematics and physics students who will have to be carefully selective of the
pure mathematics courses they can fit into their curriculum.

Thus, in brief, I have attempted to fill the gap between the basic courses and the highly technical and
specialized courses that both mathematics and physics students require in their advanced training, while
simultaneously trying to promote, at this early stage, a better appreciation and understanding of each other's
discipline.

A third objective is to try to harmonize the two aspects which appear at this level, variously described on the
one hand as the "classical", "index", or "local'' approach, and on the other hand as the "modern", ''intrinsic", or
"global" approach.

An underlying theme is an emphasis on mathematical structures. To model a physical phenomenon in general

we use some kind of mathematical "space" on which various "physical properties" are defined. For example, in
fluid mechanics we make a model in which the fluid consists of points or regions of a space with a certain
structure ("ordinary Euclidean space"), and pressure, rate of strain, etc. are mappings into other spaces with
certain structures. In general, to model a physical phenomenon, won't suffice for the domains and images of
our mappings—we have to start with manifolds. Moreover, these manifolds have to have additional structures
the basic ingredients of which are tensor algebras.

We begin with the algebraic structures we will need and go briefly to with these in Chapter 7. Manifolds are
introduced in Chapter 9 and these structures come together as tensor fields on manifolds in Chapter 11.
Chapters 12–14 cover the rudiments of analysis on manifolds, and Chapters 15–17 are devoted to geometry.
Finally, a modern treatment of the major ideas of classical analytical mechanics is given in Chapters 18–19, and
the remaining chapters are dedicated to an exposition of special and general relativity.

A few words about terminology and notation are needed. I have tried to stick as closely as possible to the most
popular current usages, sometimes inserting parenthetically strongly competing alternatives. However, since our
text borrows from many different branches of mathematics and physics, we require terminology and notation
for a very large variety of concepts and their interrelations. Consequently, the usual problem of how to tread
between high precision and readability occurs in aggravated form. Sometimes dropping some notation which is
really needed for precision can make it easier to read a given discussion and get the main ideas. On the other
hand, sometimes keeping extra terminology and/or notation makes it easier by reminding us of certain important
distinctions which might otherwise be temporarily forgotten. A separate section on "Terminology and Notation"
is included for convenient reference to some of the conventions used in this book.

Finally, with respect to general style, I have endeavored to steer a safe course between the Scylla of rigor, and
the Charybdis of informality. By my not being too heavy-handed with some of the details (including taking
some notational liberties as indicated above), hopefully the young student will be able to sail through this
passage to enjoy a panorama of interesting mathematics and physics.
This book owes a great deal to the efforts of many classes of students who struggled with earlier classnote
versions, and helped hone it into this final form. I was also fortunate to have the services of excellent typists, in
particular, Cathy Friess who did the entire final version.

R. H. W.
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN
NOVEMBER, 1991