Hamiltonian vector fields on symplectic vector spaces #
For a constant symplectic form on a finite-dimensional real normed space, the Hamiltonian
vector field of H is obtained by inverting contraction with the symplectic form.
Our sign convention is ω (X_H x) v = dH(x) v. For ω = dq ∧ dp, this gives the
Hamilton equations q' = ∂H/∂p, p' = -∂H/∂q.
The characteristic contraction equation determines the field uniquely. Since dH(X_H) = 0, a
differentiable Hamiltonian is constant along every integral curve of X_H
(TauCeti.SymplecticForm.apply_eq_of_hasDerivWithinAt_hamiltonianVectorField). The linearization of
X_H is infinitesimally symplectic when H is twice continuously differentiable; this is the
identity used to show that Hamiltonian flows preserve the symplectic form.
A Lipschitz bound ‖X_G(z) - X_G(y₀)‖ ≤ L ‖z - y₀‖ on a ball gives the second-order Taylor bound
|G(y) - G(y₀) - dG(y₀)(y - y₀)| ≤ ‖ω‖ L ‖y - y₀‖² there
(TauCeti.SymplecticForm.abs_sub_sub_fderiv_le_of_norm_hamiltonianVectorField_sub_le).
A compactly supported C² Hamiltonian has a globally Lipschitz Hamiltonian vector field
(TauCeti.SymplecticForm.exists_lipschitzWith_hamiltonianVectorField), so its flow is defined
for all times.
For an almost complex structure J preserving ω, the field J X_H is the gradient of H for
the bilinear form g = ω(·, J ·)
(TauCeti.SymplecticForm.Invariant.associatedBilinForm_hamiltonianVectorField).
Along a family of Hamiltonians whose derivatives vary continuously, for instance a jointly C¹
family evaluated along a continuous map, the Hamiltonian vector fields vary continuously.
The Poisson bracket {F, G} = ω(X_F, X_G) of two Hamiltonians is the symplectic pairing of their
Hamiltonian vector fields. With the contraction convention it is dF(X_G) = -dG(X_F); it is
antisymmetric, vanishes when either argument is constant, and is linear in each argument on
Hamiltonians differentiable at the point.
See McDuff--Salamon, Introduction to Symplectic Topology, the discussion of Hamiltonian
vector fields and their flows. The construction uses SymplecticForm contraction duality.
The Hamiltonian vector field, with convention ι_X ω = dH.
The derivative is totalized as usual: at a nondifferentiability point this field is zero.
Instances For
The Hamiltonian vector field is inverse contraction applied to the derivative.
The Hamiltonian vector field at x depends only on the germ of the Hamiltonian at x.
Contraction of the Hamiltonian field is the derivative of the Hamiltonian.
The contraction equation uniquely characterizes the Hamiltonian vector field.
The Hamiltonian vector field vanishes at x exactly when the derivative fderiv ℝ H x does.
Where H is differentiable these are the critical points of H; since fderiv is 0 where H
is not differentiable, the field also vanishes at every such point.
The Hamiltonian vector field is homogeneous: X_{c H} = c X_H.
The Hamiltonian has zero derivative in its own Hamiltonian direction.
Conservation of energy. A Hamiltonian is constant along every integral curve of its Hamiltonian vector field on a preconnected set of times, provided it is differentiable at every point of the curve; the curve need only have its derivative within the set of times.
For a J-invariant symplectic form, J X_H(x) is the gradient of H at x for the
bilinear form g = ω(·, J ·): g(J X_H(x), w) = dH(x) w.
A C^(n+1) Hamiltonian has a C^n Hamiltonian vector field.
A C² Hamiltonian with compact support has a globally Lipschitz Hamiltonian vector field, so
its flow TauCeti.SymplecticForm.hamiltonianFlow is defined for all times.
Contracting the linearization of the Hamiltonian vector field gives the Hessian.
The linearization of a C² Hamiltonian vector field is infinitesimally symplectic.
A constant Hamiltonian has zero Hamiltonian vector field.
The Hamiltonian vector field of the linear function ω(a, ·) is the constant a.
Adding a constant to a Hamiltonian does not change its Hamiltonian vector field. No
differentiability is needed: H and H + c are differentiable at the same points.
The Hamiltonian vector field is linear in Hamiltonians differentiable at the point:
X_{aF + bG} = a X_F + b X_G.
The Hamiltonian vector field is additive on finite sums of Hamiltonians differentiable at
the point: X_{∑ Fᵢ} = ∑ X_{Fᵢ}.
The Hamiltonian vector field of -H is -X_H.
The Hamiltonian vector field of a difference of Hamiltonians differentiable at the point:
X_{F - G} = X_F - X_G.
Second-order Taylor bound for a Hamiltonian. If the Hamiltonian vector field of a
differentiable function G satisfies ‖X_G(z) - X_G(y₀)‖ ≤ L ‖z - y₀‖ on the closed ball of
radius r about y₀, then |G(y) - G(y₀) - dG(y₀)(y - y₀)| ≤ ‖ω‖ L ‖y - y₀‖² for
‖y - y₀‖ ≤ r, where ‖ω‖ is the operator norm of the form.
Along a family of Hamiltonians K z and points u z whose derivatives dK_z(u z) vary
continuously on a set, the Hamiltonian vector fields X_{K z}(u z) vary continuously on it.
Along a family of Hamiltonians K z and points u z whose derivatives dK_z(u z) vary
continuously, the Hamiltonian vector fields X_{K z}(u z) vary continuously.
For a family of Hamiltonians K z that is jointly C¹ over a set U of the parameter space,
the Hamiltonian vector field X_{K z}(x) is continuous jointly in the parameter z ∈ U and the
point x.
For a family of Hamiltonians K z that is jointly C¹ over a set U of the parameter space,
the Hamiltonian vector fields X_{K z} evaluated along a map continuous on U vary continuously
on U.
For a jointly C¹ family of Hamiltonians K z, the Hamiltonian vector field X_{K z}(x) is
continuous jointly in the parameter z and the point x.
The Poisson bracket {F, G}(x) = ω(X_F x, X_G x) of two Hamiltonians.
Instances For
The Poisson bracket {F, G} is the derivative of F along the Hamiltonian field of G.
The Poisson bracket {F, G} is minus the derivative of G along the Hamiltonian field of
F.
The Poisson bracket is antisymmetric.
Adding a constant to the first Hamiltonian does not change the Poisson bracket.
Adding a constant to the second Hamiltonian does not change the Poisson bracket.
The Poisson bracket is homogeneous in its first argument: {c F, G} = c {F, G}.
The Poisson bracket is homogeneous in its second argument: {F, c G} = c {F, G}.
Negating the first argument negates the Poisson bracket.
Negating the second argument negates the Poisson bracket.
The Poisson bracket is subtractive in its first argument on Hamiltonians differentiable at the point.
The Poisson bracket is subtractive in its second argument on Hamiltonians differentiable at the point.
The Poisson bracket is additive in its first argument on finite sums of Hamiltonians
differentiable at the point: {∑ Fᵢ, G} = ∑ {Fᵢ, G}.
The Poisson bracket is additive in its second argument on finite sums of Hamiltonians
differentiable at the point: {F, ∑ Gᵢ} = ∑ {F, Gᵢ}.
The Poisson bracket of two combinations a F + b G and c F + d G is a d - b c times
{F, G}, with no differentiability hypothesis: where a combination is not differentiable its
Hamiltonian field is zero, and then {F, G} or the bracket of the combinations vanishes too.