Methods Of Differential Geometry In Analytical Mechanics

The differential geometric formulation of analytical mechanics not only offers a new insight into Mechanics, but also provides a more rigorous formulation of its physical content from a mathematical viewpoint. Topics covered in this volume include differential forms, the differential geometry of tangent and cotangent bundles, almost tangent geometry, symplectic and pre-symplectic Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms, tensors and connections on manifolds, and geometrical aspects of variational and constraint theories. The book may be considered as a self-contained text and only presupposes that readers are acquainted with linear and multilinear algebra as well as advanced calculus.

The differential geometric formulation of analytical mechanics not only offers a new insight into Mechanics, but also provides a more rigorous formulation of its physical content from a mathematical viewpoint. Topics covered in this volume include differential forms, the differential geometry of tangent and cotangent bundles, almost tangent geometry, symplectic and pre-symplectic Lagrangian and Hamiltonian formalisms, tensors and connections on manifolds, and geometrical aspects of variational and constraint theories. The book may be considered as a self-contained text and only presupposes that readers are acquainted with linear and multilinear algebra as well as advanced calculus.

* A geometric approach to problems in physics, many of which cannot be solved by any other methods * Text is enriched with good examples and exercises at the end of every chapter * Fine for a course or seminar directed at grad and adv. undergrad students interested in elliptic and hyperbolic differential equations, differential geometry, calculus of variations, quantum mechanics, and physics

Differential geometry studies geometrical objects using analytical methods. Like modern analysis itself, differential geometry originates in classical mechanics. For instance, geodesics and minimal surfaces are defined via variational principles and the curvature of a curve is easily interpreted as the acceleration with respect to the path length parameter. Modern differential geometry in its turn strongly contributed to modern physics. This book gives an introduction to the basics of differential geometry, keeping in mind the natural origin of many geometrical quantities, as well as the applications of differential geometry and its methods to other sciences. The text is divided into three parts. The first part covers the basics of curves and surfaces, while the second part is designed as an introduction to smooth manifolds and Riemannian geometry. In particular, Chapter 5 contains short introductions to hyperbolic geometry and geometrical principles of special relativity theory. Here, only a basic knowledge of algebra, calculus and ordinary differential equations is required. The third part is more advanced and introduces into matrix Lie groups and Lie algebras the representation theory of groups, symplectic and Poisson geometry, and applications of complex analysis in surface theory. The book is based on lectures the author held regularly at Novosibirsk State University. It is addressed to students as well as anyone who wants to learn the basics of differential geometry.

This book is written with the belief that classical mechanics, as a theoretical discipline, possesses an inherent beauty, depth, and richness that far transcends its immediate applications in mechanical systems. These properties are manifested, by and large, through the coherence and elegance of the mathematical structure underlying the discipline, and are eminently worthy of being communicated to physics students at the earliest stage possible. This volume is therefore addressed mainly to advanced undergraduate and beginning graduate physics students who are interested in the application of modern mathematical methods in classical mechanics, in particular, those derived from the fields of topology and differential geometry, and also to the occasional mathematics student who is interested in important physics applications of these areas of mathematics. Its main purpose is to offer an introductory and broad glimpse of the majestic edifice of the mathematical theory of classical dynamics, not only in the time-honored analytical tradition of Newton, Laplace, Lagrange, Hamilton, Jacobi, and Whittaker, but also the more topological/geometrical one established by Poincare, and enriched by Birkhoff, Lyapunov, Smale, Siegel, Kolmogorov, Arnold, and Moser (as well as many others).

Designed to familiarize undergraduates with the methods of vector algebra and vector calculus, this text offers both a clear view of the abstract theory as well as a concise survey of the theory's applications to various branches of pure and applied mathematics. A chapter on differential geometry introduces readers to the study of this subject by the methods of vector algebra. The next section explores the many aspects of the theory of mechanics adaptable to the use of vectors, and a full discussion of the vector operator "nabla" proceeds to a treatment of potential theory and Laplace's equation. This includes applications to the theories of gravitation, hydrodynamics, and electricity. A brief chapter on four-dimensional vectors concludes the text.

This book is devoted to review two of the most relevant approaches to the study of classical field theories of the first order, say k-symplectic and k-cosymplectic geometry. This approach is also compared with others like multisymplectic formalism. It will be very useful for researchers working in classical field theories and graduate students interested in developing a scientific career in the subject. Contents:A Review of Hamiltonian and Lagrangian Mechanics:Hamiltonian and Lagrangian Mechanicsk-Symplectic Formulation of Classical Field Theories:k-Symplectic Geometryk-Symplectic FormalismHamiltonian Classical Field TheoryHamilton–Jacobi Theory in k-Symplectic Field TheoriesLagrangian Classical Field TheoriesExamplesk-Cosymplectic Formulation of Classical Field Theories:k-Cosymplectic Geometryk-Cosymplectic FormalismHamiltonian Classical Field TheoriesHamilton–Jacobi EquationLagrangian Classical Field TheoriesExamplesk-Symplectic Systems versus Autonomous k-Cosymplectic SystemsRelationship between k-Symplectic and k-Cosymplectic Approaches and the Multisymplectic Formalism:Multisymplectic FormalismAppendices:Symplectic ManifoldsCosymplectic ManifoldsGlossary of Symbols Readership: Graduate students and researchers in classical field theories. Key Features:This book contains for the first time this new geometric approach to Classical Field Theory. Up to now the theory is disseminated in several journal papersThe subject is very active in the last yearsThere are many open problems in Classical Field Theories to be attacked using this new formalismKeywords:Classical Field Theory;k-Symplectic;k-Cosymplectic;Multisymplectic Formalism

Approach your problems from the right end It isn't that they can't see the solution. and begin with the answers. Then one day, It is that they can't see the problem. perhaps you will find the final question. G. K. Chesterton. The Scandal of Father 'The Hermit Clad in Crane Feathers' Brown 'The point of a Pin'. in R. van Gulik's The Chinese Maze Murders. Growing specialization and diversification have brought a host of monographs and textbooks on increasingly specialized topics. However, the "tree" of knowledge of mathematics and related fields does not grow only by putting forth new branches. It also happens, quite often in fact, that branches which were thouglit to be completely disparate are suddenly seen to be related. Further, the kind and level of sophistication of mathematics applied in various sci ences has changed drastically in recent years: measure theory is used (non-trivially) in re gional and theoretical economics; algebraic geometry interacts with physics; the Minkowsky lemma, coding theory and the structure of water meet one another in packing and covering theory; quantum fields, crystal defects and mathematical programming profit from homo topy theory; Lie algebras are relevant to filtering; and prediction and electrical engineering can use Stein spaces.