Title

Parallel Transport and Geodesics

MATH 2040

December 3, 2015

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 Readings

Readings

Readings: Section 4.4 (but not Lemma 1, Proposition 3 and

Proposition 4)

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 Parallel Transport

Vector field on an open set

Definition
Let U be an open subset of the surface S. A tangent vector field on
U is an assignment of a vector w(p) in Tp S to each point p in S.

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 Parallel Transport

Vector field on an open set

Definition
Let U be an open subset of the surface S. A tangent vector field on
U is an assignment of a vector w(p) in Tp S to each point p in S.

Two ways to think of this:

• as a collection of vectors tangent to the surface ranging over U
• as a map w : U → R3 (where w(p) is in Tp S)

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 Parallel Transport

Vector field on an open set

Definition
Let U be an open subset of the surface S. A tangent vector field on
U is an assignment of a vector w(p) in Tp S to each point p in S.

Two ways to think of this:

• as a collection of vectors tangent to the surface ranging over U
• as a map w : U → R3 (where w(p) is in Tp S)
You’ll learn more about vector fields in your vector calculus course.

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 Parallel Transport

Vector field along a curve

Definition
Given a parametrized curve α : I → S in a regular surface S a vector
field along α is an assignment of a vector w(t) in Tw(t) S to each t in I.

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 Parallel Transport

Vector field along a curve

Definition
Given a parametrized curve α : I → S in a regular surface S a vector
field along α is an assignment of a vector w(t) in Tw(t) S to each t in I.

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 Parallel Transport

Differentiability of vector fields on a curve

Definition
We say that α : I → S is differentiable at t0 if for some parametrization
x(u, v ) of the surface S, the coefficients a and b in the expression

w = axu + bxv

are differentiable at t0 . If w is differentiable at all t in I then we say w is

differentiable on I.

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 Parallel Transport

Differentiability of vector fields on a curve

Definition
We say that α : I → S is differentiable at t0 if for some parametrization
x(u, v ) of the surface S, the coefficients a and b in the expression

w = axu + bxv

are differentiable at t0 . If w is differentiable at all t in I then we say w is

differentiable on I.

• in full, w(t) = a(t)xu (u(t), v (t)) + b(t)xv (u(t), v (t)) (where

α(t) = x(u(t), v (t))).
• If a and b are differentiable in one parametrization, then the
coefficients a0 and b0 in another parametrization are also differentiable.

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 Parallel Transport

Derivative at end point

Technical point: In this section we allow parametrized curves to be

defined on closed intervals: α : [a, b] → S.

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 Parallel Transport

Derivative at end point

Technical point: In this section we allow parametrized curves to be

defined on closed intervals: α : [a, b] → S.
By this we mean the restriction to [a, b] of a parametrized curve
α : (a − , b + ) → S.

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 Parallel Transport

Derivative at end point

Technical point: In this section we allow parametrized curves to be

defined on closed intervals: α : [a, b] → S.
By this we mean the restriction to [a, b] of a parametrized curve
α : (a − , b + ) → S.
You can talk about derivatives at end-points by either taking left or right
hand derivatives, or differentiating the extended curve on (a − , b + ).

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 Parallel Transport

Derivative at end point

Technical point: In this section we allow parametrized curves to be

defined on closed intervals: α : [a, b] → S.
By this we mean the restriction to [a, b] of a parametrized curve
α : (a − , b + ) → S.
You can talk about derivatives at end-points by either taking left or right
hand derivatives, or differentiating the extended curve on (a − , b + ).
There are some fine points but I won’t try to trip you up on them.

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 Parallel Transport

Orthogonal projection onto the tangent plane

Definition
Let S be a regular surface and p be a point in S. Let Pp : R3 → Tp S be
the orthogonal projection onto the tangent plane Tp S.

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 Parallel Transport

Covariant derivative of a vector field on a curve

Definition
Let w(t) be a tangent vector field defined along a parametrized curve
α : (a, b). Let c be in the interval (a, b). The covariant derivative of w
at p = α(c) is
Dw dw
(c) = Pp (c).
dt dt

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 Parallel Transport

Covariant derivative of a vector field on a curve

Definition
Let w(t) be a tangent vector field defined along a parametrized curve
α : (a, b). Let c be in the interval (a, b). The covariant derivative of w
at p = α(c) is
Dw dw
(c) = Pp (c).
dt dt

Idea of covariant derivative: it measures the derivative of the vector

field in the surface.

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 Parallel Transport

Formula for covariant derivative

The covariant derivative can be computed in terms of the Christoffel

symbols.
Assume that

w(t) = a(t) xu (u(t), v (t)) + b(t) xv (u(t), v (t)).

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 Parallel Transport

Formula for covariant derivative

The covariant derivative can be computed in terms of the Christoffel

symbols.
Assume that

w(t) = a(t) xu (u(t), v (t)) + b(t) xv (u(t), v (t)).

Then

Dw  0 
= a + Γ111 au 0 + Γ112 av 0 + Γ112 bu 0 + Γ122 bv 0 xu
dt  
+ b0 + Γ211 au 0 + Γ212 av 0 + Γ212 bu 0 + Γ222 bv 0 xv .

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 Parallel Transport

A useful theorem

Theorem
Let S and S be oriented surfaces. Let φ : U → V be an isometry
between U ⊆ S and V ⊆ S.
Let α : I → U be a curve in U and β(t) = φ ◦ α(t) the image in V . Let
w(t) be a vector field along α and v(t) = dφα(t) (w(t)) be its image
under φ. Then
Dv Dw
=
dt dt
for all t.

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 Parallel Transport

A useful theorem

Theorem
Let S and S be oriented surfaces. Let φ : U → V be an isometry
between U ⊆ S and V ⊆ S.
Let α : I → U be a curve in U and β(t) = φ ◦ α(t) the image in V . Let
w(t) be a vector field along α and v(t) = dφα(t) (w(t)) be its image
under φ. Then
Dv Dw
=
dt dt
for all t.

Short version: Isometries don’t change the covariant derivative.

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 Parallel Transport

Parallel Vector Fields

Definition
A vector field w along a parametrized curve α : I → S is called parallel
if
Dw
=0
dt
for all t in I.

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 Parallel Transport

Parallel Vector Fields

Definition
A vector field w along a parametrized curve α : I → S is called parallel
if
Dw
=0
dt
for all t in I.

Proposition
If w(t) and v(t) are parallel along a curve α : I → S then

hv(t), w(t)i = constant.

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 Parallel Transport

Parallel Vector Fields

Definition
A vector field w along a parametrized curve α : I → S is called parallel
if
Dw
=0
dt
for all t in I.

Proposition
If w(t) and v(t) are parallel along a curve α : I → S then

hv(t), w(t)i = constant.

• In particular, the angle between v and w is constant

• if w is parallel, then its length is constant.

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 Parallel Transport

Parallel transport

Proposition
Given a parametrized curve α : I → S and a vector w0 in Tα (t0 )S,
there is a unique parallel vector field w on α such that w(t0 ) = w0 .

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 Parallel Transport

Parallel transport

Proposition
Given a parametrized curve α : I → S and a vector w0 in Tα (t0 )S,
there is a unique parallel vector field w on α such that w(t0 ) = w0 .

• We call this vector field the parallel transport of w0 along α.

• the parallel transport does not depend on the parametrization.

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 Geodesics and geodesic curvature

Geodesics

Definition
A nonconstant parametrized curve α : I → S is a called a geodesic at
t0 in I if
Dα0
(t0 ) = 0.
dt
It is called a parametrized geodesic if it is a geodesic at t for all t in I.

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 Geodesics and geodesic curvature

Geodesics

Definition
A nonconstant parametrized curve α : I → S is a called a geodesic at
t0 in I if
Dα0
(t0 ) = 0.
dt
It is called a parametrized geodesic if it is a geodesic at t for all t in I.

• In other words, its tangent vector is parallel.

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 Geodesics and geodesic curvature

Geodesics

Definition
A nonconstant parametrized curve α : I → S is a called a geodesic at
t0 in I if
Dα0
(t0 ) = 0.
dt
It is called a parametrized geodesic if it is a geodesic at t for all t in I.

• In other words, its tangent vector is parallel.

A regular curve is called a geodesic if it is a parametrized geodesic

with respect to its arc length parametrization.

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 Geodesics and geodesic curvature

Equations for geodesic

Let α : I → S be a curve in S. If α(t) = x(u(t), v (t)) then the tangent

vector can be written:

α0 (t) = u 0 (t)xu + v 0 (t)xv .

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 Geodesics and geodesic curvature

Equations for geodesic

Let α : I → S be a curve in S. If α(t) = x(u(t), v (t)) then the tangent

vector can be written:

α0 (t) = u 0 (t)xu + v 0 (t)xv .

Then α is a geodesic if and only if

u 00 + Γ111 (u 0 )2 + 2Γ112 u 0 v 0 + Γ122 (v 0 )2 = 0

v 00 + Γ211 (u 0 )2 + 2Γ212 u 0 v 0 + Γ222 (v 0 )2 = 0.

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 Geodesics and geodesic curvature

Geodesic curvature

We say a curve is oriented if it has an assigned direction to be traced.

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 Geodesics and geodesic curvature

Geodesic curvature

We say a curve is oriented if it has an assigned direction to be traced.

If α is parametrized by arc length then α00 is perpendicular to α0 . So
Dα0 0
dt is perpendicular to α and N.

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 Geodesics and geodesic curvature

Geodesic curvature

We say a curve is oriented if it has an assigned direction to be traced.

If α is parametrized by arc length then α00 is perpendicular to α0 . So
Dα0 0
dt is perpendicular to α and N.

Definition
Let C be an oriented regular curve on an oriented surface S and let p
be a point on C. Let α(s) be a parametrization by arc length of C.
Define the geodesic curvature kg (p) of C at p by

Dα0
(s0 ) = kg (p)N(s0 ) ∧ α0 (s0 ).
dt
where α(s0 ) = p.

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 Geodesics and geodesic curvature

Interpretation of geodesic curvature

Let α be a regular curve, parametrized by arc length, in an oriented

surface S.
Let w(s) be any parallel vector field along α.
Let φ be the angle between α0 (s) and w (chosen so that it varies
continuously along α).

The geodesic curvature of α at p = α(s0 ) is

dφ
kg (s0 ) = .
ds

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 Geodesics and geodesic curvature

A few words on geodesics

1 They are curves which are “as straight as possible” without

leaving the surface.
2 The “bending” of a geodesic (the second derivative α00 , assuming
arc length parametrization) is perpendicular to the surface.
3 The geodesic curvature of a geodesic is zero.
4 It can be shown that the shortest curve between two given points
is a geodesic.
(Some of these statements are different ways of saying the same
thing).

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