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Transformation Law Cristoffel

1) The connection must transform in a particular way under coordinate transformations for the covariant derivative of a contravariant vector to yield a tensor. Specifically, the Christoffel symbols must transform as shown in equation (8). 2) The Christoffel symbols of the second kind, defined in terms of the metric tensor as in equation (13), can be shown to transform according to the same law as the connection in equation (14). 3) Therefore, the Christoffel symbols of the second kind satisfy the necessary transformation properties to represent the connection associated with covariant differentiation of tensors.

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1K views2 pages

Transformation Law Cristoffel

1) The connection must transform in a particular way under coordinate transformations for the covariant derivative of a contravariant vector to yield a tensor. Specifically, the Christoffel symbols must transform as shown in equation (8). 2) The Christoffel symbols of the second kind, defined in terms of the metric tensor as in equation (13), can be shown to transform according to the same law as the connection in equation (14). 3) Therefore, the Christoffel symbols of the second kind satisfy the necessary transformation properties to represent the connection associated with covariant differentiation of tensors.

Uploaded by

Aninda Lahiri
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Assistante: Lavinia Heisenberg

Printemps 2010

Claudia de Rham
[Link]@[Link]

Relativit
e G
en
erale
Notes on transformation laws of the connection and the Christoffel symbols

1. Show that the covariant derivative of a contravariant vector results in a tensor if the connection transform in a
particulary way
x
a 2 xi
a xj xi
a
k x
bc
+

= ji
xk x
b x
c
xi x
b x
c

(1)

As motivated during the lecture, the covariant derivative is a modification of the partial derivative since the
partial derivative applied on a contravariant vector does not deliver a tensor. The covariant derivative is required
to be linear and of the form
a c
Db U a = b U a + bc
U

(2)

a = b U
a +
aU
c
Db U
bc

(3)

Now consider a change of coordinates

a = U d xad . Putting
a = V a is a tensor then it transforms as V a = V k xak xjb and U a transforms as U
if Db U
j x x
b
b

x
this tranformations into the transformation equation of the covariant derivative gives

a = V ba = Vjk
Db U

x
a xj
=
xk x
b

 a xj
k c x
j U k + jc
U
k b
x

 x
j
a
x

c
i x
a d x
bc
=
U
+

U
x
b xj
xi
xd
 2 a

j
c

x
x
a x
bc
= Ui
+
xj xi x
b
xi
a
xj U i x
+ b
x
xj xi

After bringing the right hand side over and cancelling out the U i since this is valid for any kind of U i


xj 2 x
a
a xj
c
i a x
k x
U bc i +
ji k b = 0
x
x
b xj xi
x x

(4)
(5)
(6)

(7)

Thus, the covariant derivative of a contravariant vector delivers a tensor only if the Christoffel symbols transform
according to
a xj xi
a
k x
bc

= ji

k x
b x
c}
| x {z
normal transformation law

xi xj 2 x
a
.
c
b
j
x
{zx xi}
| x

(8)

not a tensor

Finally, the last term can be expressed as


 a
xi xj 2 x
a
xi
x

=
c
b
j
i
c
b
x
x
x x
x
x

xi
 i a

x x

x
a 2 xi
=

x
b x
c xi
xi x
c x
b
|
{z
}

(9)
(10)

=ca

x
a 2 xi
,
xi x
c x
b

(11)

so that the transformation law for the connection can also be expressed as
a xj xi
a
k x
bc
+

= ji
k x
b x
c}
| x {z
normal transformation law

x
a 2 xi
.
i c x
b}
|x {zx

(12)

not a tensor

2. Show that the Christoffel symbols of 2nd kind, defined from the metric as
abc =

1 ad
g (gdb,c + gdc,b gbc,d ) ,
2

(13)

satisfies the same transformation law as the connection, i.e. under a change of coordinates
(x1 , , xn ) (
x1 , , x
n ), transforms as:
a xj xk i
x
a 2 xi
a = x
abc

+
bc
xi x
b x
c jk xi x
b x
c

(14)

Using the notation


Aai =

x
a
,
xi

Bai = (A1 )ia =

xi
x
a

and

i
i
Bbc
= Bcb
= xc Bbi =

2x
i
c
x
x
b

(15)

and knowing that Aai Bbi = ba , we have


abc =

1 ad
g (xc gdb + xb gdc xd gbc )
2

abc = 1 gad (xc gdb + xb gdc xd gbc )

2





1 a d 
= A A g
xc Bd Bb g + xb Bd Bc g xd Bc Bb g
2

1 a d


Bdc
Bb g + Bd Bbc
g + Bc Bd Bb g
= A A g
:::::::::
2


+ Bdb
B g + Bd Bbc
g + Bb Bd Bc g
. . . . . .c. . ..


Bcd
Bb g

:::::::::

Bc Bbd
g

..........

Bd Bc Bb g

1 a 

A B B g ( g + g g ) + Aa Bbc
2 c b
x
a 2 x
x
a x x
=

+
.
x x
b x
c x x
b x
c
=

The Christoffel symbols of second kind therefore satisfy the appropriate transformation law to be a connection.

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