The equivalence problem and canonical forms for quadratic Lagrangians

The general equivalence and canonical form problems for quadratic variational problems under arbitrary linear changes of variable are formulated, and the role of classical invariant theory in their general solution is made clear. A complete solution to both problems for planar, first order quadratic variational problems is provided, including a complete list of canonical forms for the Lagrangians and corresponding Euler-Lagrange equations. Algorithmic procedures for determining the equivalence class and the explicit canonical form of a given Lagrangian are provided. Applications to planar anisotropic elasticity are indicated.     

Symmetries in finite order variational sequences

We refer to Krupka's variational sequence, i.e. the quotient of the de Rham sequence on a finite order jet space with respect to a variationally trivial subsequence. Among the morphisms of the variational sequence there are the Euler-Lagrange operator and the Helmholtz operator.In this note we show that the Lie derivative operator passes to the quotient in the variational sequence. Then we define the variational Lie derivative as an operator on the sheaves of the variational sequence. Explicit representations of this operator give us some abstract versions of Noether's theorems, which can be interpreted in terms of conserved currents for Lagrangians and Euler-Lagrange morphisms.     

Representation of the Variational Sequence by Differential Forms

In the paper the representation of the finite order variational sequence on fibered manifolds in field theory is studied. The representation problem is completely solved by a generalization of the integration by parts procedure using the concept of the Lie derivative of forms with respect to vector fields along canonical maps of prolongations of fibered manifolds. A close relationship between the obtained coordinate invariant representation of the variational sequence and some familiar objects of physics, such as Lagrangians, dynamical forms, Euler–Lagrange mapping and Helmholtz–Sonin mapping is pointed out and illustrated by examples.Mathematics Subject Classifications (2000) 58E99, 49F99.Jana Musilová: Research of both authors supported by grants MSM 0021622409 and 201/03/0512.     

Non-convex self-dual Lagrangians: New variational principles of symmetric boundary value problems

We study the concept and the calculus of Non-convex self-dual (Nc-SD) Lagrangians and their derived vector fields which are associated to many partial differential equations and evolution systems. They indeed provide new representations and formulations for the superposition of convex functions and symmetric operators. They yield new variational resolutions for large class of Hamiltonian partial differential equations with variety of linear and nonlinear boundary conditions including many of the standard ones. This approach seems to offer several useful advantages: It associates to a boundary value problem several potential functions which can often be used with relative ease compared to other methods such as the use of Euler-Lagrange functions. These potential functions are quite flexible, and can be adapted to easily deal with both nonlinear and homogeneous boundary value problems. Additionally, in most cases the solutions generated using this new method have greater regularity than the solutions obtained using the standard Euler-Lagrange function. Perhaps most remarkable, however, are the permanence properties of Nc-SD Lagrangians; their calculus is relatively manageable, and their applications are quite broad.     

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     

The variational sequence on finite jet bundle extensions and the Lagrangian formalism

The geometric Lagrangian theory is based on the analysis of some basic mathematical objects such as: the contact ideal, the (exact) variational sequence, the existence of Euler-Lagrange and Helmholtz-Sonin forms, etc. In this paper we give new and much simpler proofs for the whole theory using Fock space methods.     

The Hessian and Jacobi morphisms for higher order calculus of variations

We formulate higher order variations of a Lagrangian in the geometric framework of jet prolongations of fibered manifolds. Our formalism applies to Lagrangians which depend on an arbitrary number of independent and dependent variables, together with higher order derivatives. In particular, we show that the second variation is equal (up to horizontal differentials) to the vertical differential of the Euler-Lagrange morphism which turns out to be self-adjoint along solutions of the Euler-Lagrange equations. These two objects, respectively, generalize in an invariant way the Hessian morphism and the Jacobi morphism (which is then self-adjoint along critical sections) of a given Lagrangian to the case of higher order Lagrangians. Some examples of classical Lagrangians are provided to illustrate our method.     

The variational method of Djukic and Vujanovic and its relation to classical variational methods

Summary The variational methods are classified into different types according to their Lagrangians, namely, classical-, limit-, adjoint- restricted- and Djukic, Vujanovic (DV)-Lagrangians. For some types, the existence of a Lagrangian to a given equation is discussed and examples are listed. Rules for a general application of the DV-method are presented and the equivalence of the DV-method to other variational methods is shown. This guarantees the identity of the corresponding Euler-Lagrange equations and their (exact) solutions. In special cases, even the approximate variational solutions become identical.

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Zusammenfassung Variationsverfahren werden je nach Lagrange Funktion in verschiedene Typen eingeteilt; nämlich in klassische-, limes-, adjungierte-, eingeschränkte- und Djukic, Vujanovic (DV)- Lagrange Funktionen. Für einige Typen wird die Existenz einer Lagrange Funktion zu einer vorgegebenen Gleichung diskutiert und es werden Beispiele angeführt. Regeln für eine allgemeine Anwendung des DV-Verfahrens werden angegeben. Die Aequivalenz der DV-Methode mit anderen Variationsverfahren wird nachgewiesen. Sie garantiert die Identität der Euler-Lagrange Gleichungen und ihrer(exakten) Lösungen. In Sonderfällen kann sogar die approximative Variationslösung identisch werden.

     

Riemannian convexity of functionals

This paper extends the Riemannian convexity concept to action functionals defined by multiple integrals associated to Lagrangian differential forms on first order jet bundles. The main results of this paper are based on the geodesic deformations theory and their impact on functionals in Riemannian setting. They include the basic properties of Riemannian convex functionals, the Riemannian convexity of functionals associated to differential m-forms or to Lagrangians of class C ¹ respectively C ², the generalization to invexity and geometric meaningful convex functionals. Riemannian convexity of functionals is the central ingredient for global optimization. We illustrate the novel features of this theory, as well as its versatility, by introducing new definitions, theorems and algorithms that bear upon the currently active subject of functionals in variational calculus and optimal control. In fact so deep rooted is the convexity notion that nonconvex problems are tackled by devising appropriate convex approximations.     

Contact symmetries of the Helmholtz form

In this paper, vector fields which are symmetries of the contact ideal are studied. It is shown that contact symmetries of the Helmholtz form transform a dynamical form to a dynamical form which is variational (i.e. comes as the Euler-Lagrange form from a Lagrangian). The case of dynamical forms representing first-order classes in the variational sequence is analysed in detail, which means, by the variational sequence theory, that systems of ordinary differential equations of order ?3 are concerned.     

Hamiltonian systems as selfdual equations

Hamiltonian systems with various time boundary conditions are formulated as absolute minima of newly devised non-negative action functionals obtained by a generalization of Bogomolnyi’s trick of ‘dcompleting squares’. Reminiscent of the selfdual Yang-Mills equations, they are not derived from the fact that they are critical points (i.e., from the corresponding Euler-Lagrange equations) but from being zeroes of the corresponding non-negative Lagrangians. A general method for resolving such variational problems is also described and applied to the construction of periodic solutions for Hamiltonian systems, but also to study certain Lagrangian intersections.      

INVARIANT VARIATIONAL PRINCIPLES INVOLVING VECTOR AND METRIC FIELDS IN 4-DIMENSIONS

Abstract

Variational principles in which the Lagrangian is a scalar density and a function of a metric tensor and a vector field, together with their first derivatives, are investigated in a 4-dimensional space. Associated with such Lagrangians are two expressions, the metric Euler-Lagrange expression and the vector Euler-Lagrange expression. The most general Lagrangians (of this kind) for which either of these Euler-Lagrange expressions vanishes identically, are obtained.

The most general Lagrangian (of this kind) for which the vector Euler-Lagrange equations are precisely Maxwell's equations is obtained. Although this Lagrangian is more general than the one commonly used, it still has essentially the same energy-momentum tensor.

The most general Lagrangian (of this kind) for which the metric Euler-Lagrange expression is precisely the electromagnetic energy-momentum tensor is derived. Although this Lagrangian is also more general than the one commonly used, the associated vector Euler-Lagrange equations are still Maxwell's equations.

Finally it is shown that, in contrast to the situation which obtains in the case of scalar densities which are functions of up to second derivatives of the metric and first derivatives of the vector field, there does not exist a Lagrangian, of the kind under investigation, for which the metric Euler-Lagrange expression is precisely the Einstein tensor and the vector Euler-Lagrange expression vanishes identically.     

General techniques for constructing variational integrators

The numerical analysis of variational integrators relies on variational error analysis, which relates the order of accuracy of a variational integrator with the order of approximation of the exact discrete Lagrangian by a computable discrete Lagrangian. The exact discrete Lagrangian can either be characterized variationally, or in terms of Jacobi’s solution of the Hamilton-Jacobi equation. These two characterizations lead to the Galerkin and shooting constructions for discrete Lagrangians, which depend on a choice of a numerical quadrature formula, together with either a finite-dimensional function space or a one-step method. We prove that the properties of the quadrature formula, finite-dimensional function space, and underlying one-step method determine the order of accuracy and momentum-conservation properties of the associated variational integrators. We also illustrate these systematic methods for constructing variational integrators with numerical examples.     

Two-dimensional systems that arise from the Noether classification of Lagrangians on the line

Noether-like operators play an essential role in writing down the first integrals for Euler-Lagrange systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The classification of such operators is carried out with the help of analytic continuation of Lagrangians on the line. We obtain the classification of 5, 6 and 9 Noether-like operators for two-dimensional Lagrangian systems that arise from the submaximal and maximal dimensional Noether point symmetry classification of Lagrangians on the line. Cases in which the Noether-like operators are also Noether point symmetries for the systems of two ODEs are mentioned. In particular, the 8-dimensional maximal Noether algebra is remarkably obtained for the simplest system of the free particle equations in two dimensions from the 5-dimensional complex Noether algebra of the standard Lagrangian of the scalar free particle equation. We present the effectiveness of Noether-like operators for the determination of first integrals of systems of two nonlinear differential equations which arise from scalar complex Euler-Lagrange ODEs that admit Noether symmetry.     

On different geometric formulations of Lagrangian formalism

We consider two geometric formulations of Lagrangian formalism on fibred manifolds: Krupka's theory of finite order variational sequences, and Vinogradov's infinite order variational sequence associated with the -spectral sequence. On one hand, we show that the direct limit of Krupka's variational bicomplex is a new infinite order variational bicomplex which yields a new infinite order variational sequence. On the other hand, by means of Vinogradov's -spectral sequence, we provide a new finite order variational sequence whose direct limit turns out to be the Vinogradov's infinite order variational sequence. Finally, we provide an equivalence of the two finite order and infinite order variational sequences modulo the space of Euler-Lagrange morphisms.     

Anti-self-dual Lagrangians: Variational resolutions of non-self-adjoint equations and dissipative evolutions

We develop the concept and the calculus of anti-self-dual (ASD) Lagrangians and their derived vector fields which seem inherent to many partial differential equations and evolutionary systems. They are natural extensions of gradients of convex functions – hence of self-adjoint positive operators – which usually drive dissipative systems, but also provide representations for the superposition of such gradients with skew-symmetric operators which normally generate unitary flows. They yield variational formulations and resolutions for large classes of non-potential boundary value problems and initial-value parabolic equations. Solutions are minima of newly devised energy functionals, however, and just like the self (and anti-self) dual equations of quantum field theory (e.g. Yang–Mills) the equations associated to such minima are not derived from the fact they are critical points of the functional I, but because they are also zeroes of suitably derived Lagrangians. The approach has many advantages: it solves variationally many equations and systems that cannot be obtained as Euler–Lagrange equations of action functionals, since they can involve non-self-adjoint or other non-potential operators; it also associates variational principles to variational inequalities, and to various dissipative initial-value first order parabolic problems. These equations can therefore be analyzed with the full range of methods – computational or not – that are available for variational settings. Most remarkable are the permanence properties that ASD Lagrangians possess making their calculus relatively manageable and their domain of applications quite broad.     

On null Lagrangians

We consider multiple-integral variational problems where the Lagrangian function, defined on a frame bundle, is homogeneous. We construct, on the corresponding sphere bundle, a canonical Lagrangian form with the property that it is closed exactly when the Lagrangian is null. We also provide a straightforward characterization of null Lagrangians as sums of determinants of total derivatives. We describe the correspondence between Lagrangians on frame bundles and those on jet bundles: under this correspondence, the canonical Lagrangian form becomes the fundamental Lepage equivalent. We also use this correspondence to show that, for a single-determinant null Lagrangian, the fundamental Lepage equivalent and the Carathéodory form are identical.