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This homework set is out of 40 points.
It explores the concept of parallel transport and how parallel transport on one surface
relates to parallel transport on another.
-
(10 points)
Let \(U \subseteq \mathbb{R}^2\) be nonempty and open and let \(\sigma,\tau:U \to \mathbb{R}^3\) be two
regular surface patches which have the same first fundamental form (i.e. \(E\), \(F\), \(G\) are the same).
Show that if \(\mathbf{u}\) is a smooth vector field along a smooth curve \(\gamma\) in \(U\),
then
\(
\mathbf{v}(t) := D_{\gamma(t)} \sigma(\mathbf{u}(t))
\)
is a parallel vector field along
\(\sigma \circ \gamma\) if and only if
\(
\mathbf{w}(t) := D_{\gamma(t)} \tau (\mathbf{u}(t))
\)
is a parallel vector field along \(\tau \circ \gamma\).
Hint: This problem is not as bad as it looks.
It amounts to applying the right theorem, proposition, etc. from the text/lecture.
Remark: While this problem does not talk explicitly about parallel transport, but it does give information.
For instance if \(p\) and \(q\) are on \(\gamma\), \(\mathbf{u} \in T_p \mathbb{R}^2 = \mathbb{R}^2_p\) and
\(\mathbf{v}\) is in \(T_q \mathbb{R}^2 = \mathbb{R}^2_q\),
then
\[
D_q \sigma (\mathbf{v}) = \Pi_\alpha^{\sigma(p),\sigma(q)} (D_p \sigma (\mathbf{u})) \qquad \textrm{ if and only if } \qquad
D_q \tau (\mathbf{v}) = \Pi_\beta^{\tau(p),\tau(q)} (D_p \tau (\mathbf{u}))
\]
where \(\alpha = \sigma \circ \gamma\) and \(\beta = \tau \circ \gamma\).
-
(10 points)
Given \(0 < a < 1\), let \(C\) be the surface parametrized by the local diffeomorphism
\[
\sigma(r,\theta) = (ar \cos(\theta/a),ar \sin (\theta/a), r \sqrt{1-a^2}).
\]
If \(\alpha\) is the curve defined by
\(\alpha(t) = (a r_0 \cos(t), a r_0 \sin(t), r_0 \sqrt{1-a^2})\) for \(0 \leq t \leq 2\pi\),
determine the angle between a vector \(\mathbf{v} \ne 0\) in \(T_{\alpha(0)} C\)
and the result of parallel transporting \(\mathbf{v}\) once around \(\alpha\).
Hint:
Define \(\tau(r,\theta) = (r \cos(\theta),r \sin (\theta),0)\) and use
problem 1 to convert the parallel transport problem on \(C\) to a (trivial) parallel transport
problem in the \(xy\)-plane. (See the remark at the end of problem 1.)
The calculations you did in HW7, problems 3 and 4 may be helpful.
-
(10 points)
Suppose that \(S_1\) and \(S_2\) are two smooth surfaces in \(\mathbb{R}^3\),
\(\gamma\) is a smooth curve contained in their intersection
and \(T_p S_1 = T_p S_2\) for all points \(p\) on \(\gamma\).
Show that parallel transport along \(\gamma\) is the same in \(S_1\) and \(S_2\).
-
(6+4 points)
Suppose that \(r : \mathbb{R} \to (0,\infty)\) is a smooth function and let \(S \subseteq \mathbb{R}^3\)
denote the surface which results from revolving \(x = r(z)\) about the \(z\)-axis.
It is parametrized by
\[
\varsigma (\theta,z) = (r(z)\cos(\theta),r(z)\sin(\theta),z)
\]
If \(r'(z_0) \ne 0\) and \(\gamma\) is the meridian obtained by rotating \((x_0,0,z_0)\) about the \(z\)-axis,
show that there is a cone \(C\) such that \(\gamma\) is contained in \(C\) and
\(T_p C = T_p S\) for points \(p\) on \(\gamma\).
(This is related to the cone from problem 2, for some choice of \(a\), by a rigid motion.)
Use problems 2 and 3 to calculate the angle between a vector \(\mathbf{v} \in T_p S\) and the parallel
transport of \(\mathbf{v}\) along \(\gamma\).