Manifolds Ii

Manifolds play an important role in topology, geometry, complex analysis, algebra, and classical mechanics. Learning manifolds differs from most other introductory mathematics in that the subject matter is often completely unfamiliar. This introduction guides readers by explaining the roles manifolds play in diverse branches of mathematics and physics. The book begins with the basics of general topology and gently moves to manifolds, the fundamental group, and covering spaces.

Differential geometry is a very active field of research and has many applications to areas such as physics, in particular gravity. The chapters in this book cover a number of subjects that will be of interest to workers in these areas. It is hoped that these chapters will be able to provide a useful resource for researchers with regard to current fields of research in this important area.

Twelve problems have been added to the first edition; four of them are supplements to problems in the first edition. The others deal with issues that have become important, since the first edition of Volume II, in recent developments of various areas of physics. All the problems have their foundations in volume 1 of the 2-Volume set Analysis, Manifolds and Physics. It would have been prohibitively expensive to insert the new problems at their respective places. They are grouped together at the end of this volume, their logical place is indicated by a number of parenthesis following the title.

Manifolds, the higher-dimensional analogs of smooth curves and surfaces, are fundamental objects in modern mathematics. Combining aspects of algebra, topology, and analysis, manifolds have also been applied to classical mechanics, general relativity, and quantum field theory. In this streamlined introduction to the subject, the theory of manifolds is presented with the aim of helping the reader achieve a rapid mastery of the essential topics. By the end of the book the reader should be able to compute, at least for simple spaces, one of the most basic topological invariants of a manifold, its de Rham cohomology. Along the way, the reader acquires the knowledge and skills necessary for further study of geometry and topology. The requisite point-set topology is included in an appendix of twenty pages; other appendices review facts from real analysis and linear algebra. Hints and solutions are provided to many of the exercises and problems. This work may be used as the text for a one-semester graduate or advanced undergraduate course, as well as by students engaged in self-study. Requiring only minimal undergraduate prerequisites, 'Introduction to Manifolds' is also an excellent foundation for Springer's GTM 82, 'Differential Forms in Algebraic Topology'.

Annotation This self-contained and relatively elementary introduction to functions of several complex variables and complex (especially compact) manifolds is intended to be a synthesis of those topics and a broad introduction to the field. Part I is suitable for advanced undergraduates and beginning postgraduates whilst Part II is written more for the graduate student. The work as a whole will be useful to professional mathematicians or mathematical physicists who wish to acquire a working knowledge of this area of mathematics. Many exercises have been included and indeed they form an integral part of the text. The prerequisites for understanding Part I would be met by any mathematics student with a first degree and together the two parts provide an introduction to the more advanced works in the subject.

This book presents, in a unifying perspective, the topics related to N=2 supersymmetry in two dimensions. Beginning with the Kähler structure of D=4 supergravity Lagrangians, through the analysis of string compactifications on Calabi-Yau manifolds, one reaches the heart of the matter with the chiral ring structure of N=2 conformal field theories and its relation to topological field theory models and Landau–Ginzburg models. In addition, mirror symmetry, topological twists and Picard–Fuchs equations are discussed. Contents:An Introduction to the SubjectA Bit of Geometry and TopologySupergravity and Kähler GeometryCompactifications on Calabi–Yau ManifoldsN=2 Field Theories in Two DimensionsModuli Spaces and Special GeometryTopological Field TheoriesPicard–Fuchs Equations and Mirror Maps Readership: High-energy and mathematical physicists. keywords: