The Eulerian velocity field of a smooth family of diffeomorphisms #
Let φ_t, t ∈ ℝ, be a family of bijections of a manifold M, jointly smooth in (t, x) and with
jointly smooth inverses, such as a smooth isotopy. Its Eulerian velocity field is the
time-dependent vector field
X_t = (∂_t φ_t) ∘ φ_t⁻¹, that is, X_t(y) = ∂_u|_{u = t} φ_u(φ_t⁻¹ y)
(TauCeti.eulerianField). It is the time-dependent vector field generating the family: every curve
u ↦ φ_u x has velocity X_u (φ_u x) (TauCeti.hasMFDerivAt_eulerianField), and the field is
jointly C^m when the family is C^(m+1) and its inverses are C^m
(TauCeti.contMDiff_eulerianField). Consequently the suspension of X is complete
(TauCeti.isCompleteVectorField_timeDependentSuspensionField_eulerianField), and on a Hausdorff
boundaryless manifold, where integral curves of a C¹ field are unique, the time-dependent flow of
X from time s to time t is φ_t ∘ φ_s⁻¹ (TauCeti.timeDependentFlowOf_eulerianField). This
lets every statement about time-dependent flows be applied to smooth isotopies.
The field transforms under the pointwise operations on families as follows. For the pointwise
composition (φ ψ)_t = φ_t ∘ ψ_t one has the product velocity identity
X_(φ ψ) = X_φ + (φ_t)_* X_ψ
(TauCeti.eulerianField_trans), and for the pointwise inverse X_(φ⁻¹) = -(φ_t⁻¹)_* X_φ
(TauCeti.eulerianField_symm). A constant family has zero velocity
(TauCeti.eulerianField_const).
These are the identities used to define the flux of a symplectic isotopy, whose velocity one-forms
are the contractions ι_(X_t) ω of the symplectic form with the Eulerian field.
References #
- D. McDuff and D. Salamon, Introduction to Symplectic Topology, 3rd ed., Oxford University Press, 2017, Chapter 3 (the time-dependent vector field generating an isotopy) and Chapter 10 (the flux homomorphism).
- J. M. Lee, Introduction to Smooth Manifolds, 2nd ed., Springer GTM 218 (2013), Theorem 9.48 (time-dependent flows).
The Eulerian velocity field of a family φ of bijections of M: the time-dependent vector
field X_t(y) = ∂_u|_{u = t} φ_u(φ_t⁻¹ y), that is X_t = (∂_t φ_t) ∘ φ_t⁻¹. For a smooth isotopy
it is the time-dependent vector field whose flow is the isotopy.
Instances For
The Eulerian velocity field at y is the velocity at time t of the curve
u ↦ φ_u(φ_t⁻¹ y). This restates the definition, whose body is not exposed.
At the image point φ_t x, the Eulerian velocity field is the velocity at time t of the
curve u ↦ φ_u x.
The Eulerian field generates the family. If the curve u ↦ φ_u x is differentiable at
time t, its velocity there is the Eulerian velocity field at its current position,
X_t (φ_t x).
A constant family has zero Eulerian velocity.
Products and inverses of families #
The product velocity identity. The Eulerian field of the pointwise composition
(φ ψ)_t = φ_t ∘ ψ_t of two families is X_(φ ψ) = X_φ + (φ_t)_* X_ψ: at the point φ_t w, it
is the sum of X_φ(φ_t w) and of the image under dφ_t of X_ψ(w).
The inverse velocity identity. The Eulerian field of the pointwise inverse
t ↦ φ_t⁻¹ of a family is X_(φ⁻¹) = -(φ_t⁻¹)_* X_φ: at the point φ_t⁻¹ z, it is minus the
image under d(φ_t⁻¹) of X_φ(z).
Smoothness #
The Eulerian field is jointly smooth. If the family (t, x) ↦ φ_t x is C^n and its
inverses (t, y) ↦ φ_t⁻¹ y are C^m, with m + 1 ≤ n, then the Eulerian velocity field is a
jointly C^m time-dependent vector field.
The time-dependent flow of the Eulerian field #
If every curve u ↦ φ_u x is differentiable, the suspension of the Eulerian field is complete:
its time-dependent flow is defined for all pairs of times.
The isotopy is the flow of its Eulerian field. For a family whose curves u ↦ φ_u x are
differentiable and whose Eulerian field is jointly C¹, the time-dependent flow of that field from
time s to time t is φ_t ∘ φ_s⁻¹.