Lagmental Vicfred

The Differential Pushes Tangent Vectors Forward by Vicfred

Last updated: Thu 16 April 2015

The derivative of a smooth map is defined by composing derivations with pullback of functions. The formulas are more useful when each symbol has a job rather than merely decorating the theorem.

Notation

A smooth \(n\)-manifold is locally modeled on \(\mathbf R^n\) with smooth transition maps. A smooth map \(F:M\to N\) differentiates to linear maps between tangent spaces.

$$ dF_p:T_pM\to T_{F(p)}N $$

I keep the defining relation \(\mathsf D\) above the derived relation \(\mathsf C\). This exposes whether cancellation used \(x\ne0\) and whether the conclusion is canonical.

$$ (dF_pv)(g)=v(g\circ F) $$

Stress the formula

Here is a concrete symbolic test. Reading it from left to right reveals which transformation is reversible and which is only an implication.

$$ [dF_p]_{\mathrm{coordinates}}=\begin{pmatrix}\partial F^1/\partial x^1&\cdots&\partial F^1/\partial x^m\\\vdots&\ddots&\vdots\\\partial F^n/\partial x^1&\cdots&\partial F^n/\partial x^m\end{pmatrix}_p $$

Interpretation

What survives the example is not its particular numbers but the relation encoded by the two rows below. That relation is the part worth transporting to a new setting.

$$ \begin{aligned} \mathsf{D}\;&:\quad dF_p:T_pM\to T_{F(p)}N,\\[5pt] \mathsf{C}\;&:\quad (dF_pv)(g)=v(g\circ F). \end{aligned} $$

Limit of the argument

Coordinates are computational tools, not intrinsic data. Tensorial formulas must transform correctly on chart overlaps.

$$ \boxed{\begin{gathered} \text{compact conclusion}\\[-2pt] (dF_pv)(g)=v(g\circ F) \end{gathered}} $$

A symbolic summary is trustworthy only because the example and limitation remain visible beside it. The box compresses the conclusion without hiding its origin.

This article was posted on Fri 04 October 2013. Facts and circumstances may have changed since publication.
Please contact me before jumping to conclusions if something seems wrong or unclear.