Variational sequences in mechanics

Let be a fibered manifold over a base manifold . A differential 1-form , defined on the -jet prolongation of , is said to be contact, if it vanishes along the -jet prolongation of every section of . The notion of contactness is naturally extended to -forms with . The contact forms define a subsequence of the De Rham sequence on . The corresponding quotient sequence is known as the rth order variational sequence. In this paper, the case of 1-dimensional base is considered. A simple proof is given of the fact that the rth order variational sequence is an acyclic resolution of the constant sheaf. Then the 1st order variational sequence is studied in detail. The quotient sheaves, as well as the quotient mappings, are determined explicitly, and their relationship to the standard concepts of the 1st order calculus of variations is discussed. The following is shown: a) the lagrangians in the 1st order variational sequence (classes of 1-forms) coincide with 2nd order lagrangians, affine in the second derivative variables, b) the concept of the Euler-Lagrange form is extended to 2-forms which are not necessarily variational, c) the concept of the Helmholtz-Sonin form is introduced as the class of an arbitrary 3-form, d) the well-known fundamental notions such as the Euler-Lagrange, and Helmholtz-Sonin mappings are represented by two arrows at the beginning of the variational sequence; this relates the global structure of the Euler-Lagrange mapping to the cohomology of , e) all the remaining classes of -forms with , as well as the quotient mappings, are determined explicitly, f) a locally variational form is defined as a generalization of a symplectic form; locally variational forms, associated to a fixed Euler-Lagrange form, are characterized, and g) distributions associated with a locally variational form are described, and their relation to the Euler-Lagrange equations is studied. These results illustrate differences between finite order variational sequences and variational bicomplexes, based on infinite jet constructions. Received February 18, 1996 / In revised form December 1996 / Accepted December 2, 1996     

Partial tubes about immersed manifolds

We consider a generalization of the idea of an -tube about a submanifold of ⁿ which includes, on the one hand, submanifolds parallel to the original and, on the other, isoparametric submanifolds about a focal submanifold. We discuss properties that are inherited from the core manifold and the type fibre. The construction is used to show that there are submanifolds with many different parallel submanifolds.     

Relative isoperimetric inequality and¶linear isoperimetric inequality for minimal submanifolds

We prove an optimal relative isoperimetric inequality

Standard pseudo-Hermitian structure on manifolds and seifert fibration

A strictly pseudoconvex pseudo-Hermitian manifoldM admits a canonical Lorentz metric as well as a canonical Riemannian metric. Using these metrics, we can define a curvaturelike function onM. AsM supports a contact form, there exists a characteristic vector field dual to the contact structure. If induces a local one-parameter group ofCR transformations, then a strictly pseudoconvex pseudo-Hermitian manifoldM is said to be a standard pseudo-Hermitian manifold. We study topological and geometric properties of standard pseudo-Hermitian manifolds of positive curvature or of nonpositive curvature . By the definition, standard pseudo-Hermitian manifolds are calledK-contact manifolds by Sasaki. In particular, standard pseudo-Hermitian manifolds of constant curvature turn out to be Sasakian space forms. It is well known that a conformally flat manifold contains a class of Riemannian manifolds of constant curvature. A sphericalCR manifold is aCR manifold whose Chern-Moser curvature form vanishes (equivalently, Weyl pseudo-conformal curvature tensor vanishes). In contrast, it is emphasized that a sphericalCR manifold contains a class of standard pseudo-Hermitian manifolds of constant curvature (i.e., Sasakian space forms). We shall classify those compact Sasakian space forms. When 0, standard pseudo-Hermitian closed aspherical manifolds are shown to be Seifert fiber spaces. We consider a deformation of standard pseudo-Hermitian structure preserving a sphericalCR structure.Dedicated to Professor Sasao Seiya for his sixtieth birthday     

Submanifolds in differentiable manifolds endowed with differential-geometric structures VI.CR-submanifolds in a manifold of almost-contact structure

This survey contains an exposition of the results of a study ofCR-manifolds or semi-invariant submanifolds in a manifold of metric almost-contact structure.The concept ofCR ₍₎-submanifoids in an almost-contact manifold is introduced as a generalization ofCR-submanifolds.Translated from Itogi Nauki i Tekhniki, Seriya Problemy Geometrii, Vol. 19, pp. 23–57, 1987.     

Some remarks on R-contact flows

Let (M, ) be an R-contact manifold, then the set of periodic points of the characteristic vector field is a nonempty union of closed, totally geodesic odd-dimensional submanifolds. Moreover, the R-metric cannot have nonpositive sectional curvature. We also prove that no R-contact form can exist on any torus.     

A Bernstein result for energy minimizing hypersurfaces

We show that there are no entire, positive, stable solutions in ⁿ of the Euler equation corresponding to the singular variational integral ,>0, if+n<5.236.... Furthermore we prove a related result for smooth boundaries of least-energy |x _n+1||D _U | in ⁿ⁺¹.     

Solution manifolds and submanifolds of parametrized equations and their discretization errors

Summary The paper concerns solution manifolds of nonlinear parameterdependent equations (1)F(u, )=y₀ involving a Fredholm operatorF between (infinite-dimensional) Banach spacesX=Z× andY, and a finitedimensional parameter space . Differntial-geometric ideas are used to discuss the connection between augmented equations and certain onedimensional submanifolds produced by numerical path-tracing procedures. Then, for arbitrary (finite) dimension of , estimates of the error between the solution manifold of (1) and its discretizations are developed. These estimates are shown to be applicable to rather general nonlinear boundaryvalue problems for partial differential equations.This work was in part supported by the U.S. Air Force Office of Scientific Research under Grant 80-0176, the National Science Foundation under Grant MCS-78-05299, and the Office of Naval Research under Contract N-00014-80-C-0455     

Variational principles for real eigenvalues of self-adjoint operator pencils

Double variational principles are established for eigenvalues of a (norm) continuous self-adjoint operator valued functionL defined on a real interval [, [.L() is not required to be definite for any . Applications are made to linear, quadratic and rational functionsL.This author acknowledges support from NSERC of Canada and the I.W. Killam Foundation.This author was supported by the Fonds zur Förderung der wissenschaftlichen Forschung of Austria, Project P 12176-MAT.     

On Saddle Submanifolds of Riemannian Manifolds

Saddle submanifolds are considered. A characterization of such submanifolds of Euclidean space is given in terms of sectional curvature. Extending results of T. Frankel, K. Kenmotsu and C. Xia, we determine under what conditions two complete saddle submanifolds of a complete connected Riemannian manifold M, with nonnegative k-Ricci curvature, must intersect. Moreover, if M has positive k -Ricci curvature and the dimension of a compact saddle submanifold satisfies a certain inequality then we show that the homomorphism of the fundamental groups _1(M) and ₁(M) is surjective.     

Convergence of epigraphs and of sublevel sets

Let LSC(X) be the set of the proper lower semicontinuous extended real-valued functions defined on a metric spaceX. Given a sequence f _n in LSC(X) and a functionf LSC(X), we show that convergence of f _n tof in several variational convergence modes implies that for each , the sublevel set at height off is the limit, in the same variational sense, of an appropriately chosen sequence of sublevel sets of thef _n, at height _n approaching . The converse holds true whenever a form of stability of the sublevel sets of the limit function is verified. The results are obtained by regarding a hyperspace topology as the weakest topology for which each member of an appropriate family of excess functionals is upper semicontinuous, and each member of an appropriate family of gap functionals is lower semicontinuous. General facts about the representation of hyperspace topologies in this manner are given.     

Second variation for L-minimal Legendrian submanifolds in pseudo-Sasakian manifolds

In this paper we provide the second variation formula for L-minimal Lagrangian submanifolds in a pseudo-Sasakian manifold. We apply it to the case of Lorentzian–Sasakian manifolds and relate the L-stability of L-minimal Legendrian submanifolds in a Sasakian manifold M to their L-stability in an associated Lorentzian–Sasakian structure on M.     

Two-Orbit Kähler Manifolds and Morse Theory

We deal with compact Kähler manifolds M acted on by a compact Lie group K of isometries, whose complexification K has exactly one open and one closed orbit in M. If the K-action is Hamiltonian, we investigate topological and cohomological properties of M.     

Embedding into manifolds with torsion

We introduce a class of special geometries associated to the choice of a differential graded algebra contained in ${\Lambda^*\mathbb{R}^n}$ . We generalize some known embedding results, that effectively characterize the real analytic Riemannian manifolds that can be realized as submanifolds of a Riemannian manifold with special holonomy, to this more general context. In particular, we consider the case of hypersurfaces inside nearly-K?hler and ??-Einstein?CSasaki manifolds, proving that the corresponding evolution equations always admit a solution in the real analytic case.     

Regularity of nonlinear flows on noncompact Riemannian manifolds: Differential geometry versus stochastic geometry or what kind of variations is natural?

It is shown that the geometrically correct investigation of regularity of nonlinear differential flows on manifolds and related parabolic equations requires the introduction of a new type of variations with respect to the initial data. These variations are defined via a certain generalization of a covariant Riemannian derivative to the case of diffeomorphisms. The appearance of curvature in the structure of high-order variational equations is discussed and a family of a priori nonlinear estimates of regularity of any order is obtained. By using the relationship between the differential equations on manifolds and semigroups, we study C ^∞-regular properties of solutions of the parabolic Cauchy problems with coefficients increasing at infinity. The obtained conditions of regularity generalize the classical coercivity and dissipation conditions to the case of a manifold and correlate (in a unified way) the behavior of diffusion and drift coefficients with the geometric properties of the manifold without traditional separation of curvature. Published in Ukrains’kyi Matematychnyi Zhurnal, Vol. 58, No. 8, pp. 1011–1034, August, 2006.     

Flat Riemannian manifolds are boundaries

In this paper we prove that each compact flat Riemannian manifold is the boundary of a compact manifold. Our method of proof is to construct a smooth action of (₂) ^k on the flat manifold. We are independently preceded in this approach by Marc W. Gordon who proved the flat Riemannian manifolds, whose holonomy groups are of a certain class of groups, bound. By analyzing the fixed point data of this group action we get the complete result. As corollaries to the main theorem it follows that those compact flat Riemannian manifolds which are oriented bound oriented manifolds; and, if we have an involution on a homotopy flat manifold, then the manifold together with the involution bounds. We also give an example of a nonbounding manifold which is finitely covered byS ³ ×S ³ ×S ³.     

Nilpotent shifts on manifolds

On the lattice of manifolds of all algebras L we study the operator of nilpotent closure , where is a nilpotent manifold of -algebras. With a given system of identities defining, we construct a system ^*, giving the manifold It is proved that if does not contain , then the lattice of submanifolds of is the double of the lattice of submanifolds of. We describe the free and subdirect indecomposable manifolds of algebras . Let and A be adense retract of B. We denote by (B) the lattice of congruences on B. The theorem is proved: (B) is a complemented lattice if and only if (A) is a complemented lattice.Translated from Matematicheskie Zametki, Vol. 14, No. 5, pp. 703–712, November, 1973.     

On smoothness and invariance properties of the gauss-newton method

We consider systems of m nonlinear equations in m + p unknowns which have p-dimensional solution manifolds. It is well-known that the Gauss-Newton method converges locally and quadratically to regular points on this manifold. We investigate in detail the mapping which transfers the starting point to its limit on the manifold. This mapping is shown to be smooth of one order less than the given system. Moreover, we find that the Gauss-Newton method induces a foliation of the neighborhood of the manifold into smooth submanifolds. These submanifolds are of dimension m, they are invariant under the Gauss-Newton iteration, and they have orthogonal intersections with the solution manifold.     

Submanifolds of complex space forms admitting an almost contact metric compound structure

Summary Real hypersurfaces of an almost Hermitian manifold naturally admit an almost contact metric structure and the (f, g, u, v, w, , , )-structure is defined on submanifolds of codimension 3 of an almost Hermitian manifold. We study the so-called semi-invariant submanifolds of a complex space form with almost contact metric compound structure which is a general notion of (f, g, u, v, w, , , )-structure.Dedicated to professor Eulyong Pak on his 60th birthdayThis research was partially supported by Korean Science and Engineering Foundation Grant.     

Homogeneous Submanifolds of Codimension Two

We study codimension 2 homogeneous submanifolds of Euclidean space for which the index of minimum relative nullity is small. We prove that if min_xMf(x)n-5, where (x) denotes the nullity of the second fundamental form of the immersion f at the point x, then the manifold M ⁿ is either isometric to a sphere or to a product of two spheres S²×S ^n–2 or covered by the Riemannian product S ^n–1 ×R. As a consequence, we obtain a classification of compact codimension 2 homogeneous submanifolds of dimension at least 5.