Alternating forms on free modules#

Given a free module \(M\) of finite rank over a commutative ring \(R\) and a positive integer \(p\), an alternating form of degree \(p\) on \(M\) is a map

\[a:\ \underbrace{M\times\cdots\times M}_{p\ \; \mbox{times}} \longrightarrow R\]

that (i) is multilinear and (ii) vanishes whenever any of two of its arguments are equal. An alternating form of degree \(p\) is a tensor on \(M\) of type \((0,p)\).

Alternating forms are implemented via the class FreeModuleAltForm, which is a subclass of the generic tensor class FreeModuleTensor.

AUTHORS:

Eric Gourgoulhon, Michal Bejger (2014-2015): initial version

REFERENCES:

Chap. 23 of R. Godement : Algebra [God1968]
Chap. 15 of S. Lang : Algebra [Lan2002]

class sage.tensor.modules.free_module_alt_form.FreeModuleAltForm(fmodule, degree, name=None, latex_name=None)#

Bases: sage.tensor.modules.free_module_tensor.FreeModuleTensor

Alternating form on a free module of finite rank over a commutative ring.

This is a Sage element class, the corresponding parent class being ExtPowerDualFreeModule.

INPUT:

fmodule – free module \(M\) of finite rank over a commutative ring \(R\), as an instance of FiniteRankFreeModule
degree – positive integer; the degree \(p\) of the alternating form (i.e. its tensor rank)
name – (default: None) string; name given to the alternating form
latex_name – (default: None) string; LaTeX symbol to denote the alternating form; if none is provided, name is used

EXAMPLES:

Alternating form of degree 2 on a rank-3 free module:

sage: M = FiniteRankFreeModule(ZZ, 3, name='M', start_index=1)
sage: e = M.basis('e')
sage: a = M.alternating_form(2, name='a') ; a
Alternating form a of degree 2 on the
 Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring
sage: type(a)
<class 'sage.tensor.modules.ext_pow_free_module.ExtPowerDualFreeModule_with_category.element_class'>
sage: a.parent()
2nd exterior power of the dual of the Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring
sage: a[1,2], a[2,3] = 4, -3
sage: a.display(e)
a = 4 e^1∧e^2 - 3 e^2∧e^3

The alternating form acting on the basis elements:

sage: a(e[1],e[2])
4
sage: a(e[1],e[3])
0
sage: a(e[2],e[3])
-3
sage: a(e[2],e[1])
-4

An alternating form of degree 1 is a linear form:

sage: b = M.linear_form('b') ; b
Linear form b on the Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring
sage: b[:] = [2,-1,3]  # components w.r.t. the module's default basis (e)

A linear form is a tensor of type \((0,1)\):

sage: b.tensor_type()
(0, 1)

It is an element of the dual module:

sage: b.parent()
Dual of the Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring
sage: b.parent() is M.dual()
True

The members of a dual basis are linear forms:

sage: e.dual_basis()[1]
Linear form e^1 on the Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring
sage: e.dual_basis()[2]
Linear form e^2 on the Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring
sage: e.dual_basis()[3]
Linear form e^3 on the Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring

Any linear form is expanded onto them:

sage: b.display(e)
b = 2 e^1 - e^2 + 3 e^3

In the above example, an equivalent writing would have been b.display(), since the basis e is the module’s default basis. A linear form maps module elements to ring elements:

sage: v = M([1,1,1])
sage: b(v)
4
sage: b(v) in M.base_ring()
True

Test of linearity:

sage: u = M([-5,-2,7])
sage: b(3*u - 4*v) == 3*b(u) - 4*b(v)
True

The standard tensor operations apply to alternating forms, like the extraction of components with respect to a given basis:

sage: a[e,1,2]
4
sage: a[1,2]  # since e is the module's default basis
4
sage: all( a[i,j] == - a[j,i] for i in {1,2,3} for j in {1,2,3} )
True

the tensor product:

sage: c = b*b ; c
Symmetric bilinear form  b⊗b on the Rank-3 free module M over the
 Integer Ring
sage: c.parent()
Free module of type-(0,2) tensors on the Rank-3 free module M over the
 Integer Ring
sage: c.display(e)
b⊗b = 4 e^1⊗e^1 - 2 e^1⊗e^2 + 6 e^1⊗e^3 - 2 e^2⊗e^1 + e^2⊗e^2
 - 3 e^2⊗e^3 + 6 e^3⊗e^1 - 3 e^3⊗e^2 + 9 e^3⊗e^3

the contractions:

sage: s = a.contract(v) ; s
Linear form on the Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring
sage: s.parent()
Dual of the Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring
sage: s.display(e)
4 e^1 - 7 e^2 + 3 e^3

or tensor arithmetics:

sage: s = 3*a + c ; s
Type-(0,2) tensor on the Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring
sage: s.parent()
Free module of type-(0,2) tensors on the Rank-3 free module M over the
 Integer Ring
sage: s.display(e)
4 e^1⊗e^1 + 10 e^1⊗e^2 + 6 e^1⊗e^3 - 14 e^2⊗e^1 + e^2⊗e^2
 - 12 e^2⊗e^3 + 6 e^3⊗e^1 + 6 e^3⊗e^2 + 9 e^3⊗e^3

Note that tensor arithmetics preserves the alternating character if both operands are alternating:

sage: s = a - 2*a ; s
Alternating form of degree 2 on the Rank-3 free module M over the
 Integer Ring
sage: s.parent() # note the difference with s = 3*a + c above
2nd exterior power of the dual of the Rank-3 free module M over the
 Integer Ring
sage: s == -a
True

An operation specific to alternating forms is of course the exterior product:

sage: s = a.wedge(b) ; s
Alternating form a∧b of degree 3 on the Rank-3 free module M over the
 Integer Ring
sage: s.parent()
3rd exterior power of the dual of the Rank-3 free module M over the
 Integer Ring
sage: s.display(e)
a∧b = 6 e^1∧e^2∧e^3
sage: s[1,2,3] == a[1,2]*b[3] + a[2,3]*b[1] + a[3,1]*b[2]
True

The exterior product is nilpotent on linear forms:

sage: s = b.wedge(b) ; s
Alternating form zero of degree 2 on the Rank-3 free module M over the
 Integer Ring
sage: s.display(e)
zero = 0

degree()#

Return the degree of self.

EXAMPLES:

sage: M = FiniteRankFreeModule(ZZ, 3, name='M')
sage: a = M.alternating_form(2, name='a')
sage: a.degree()
2

disp(basis=None, format_spec=None)#

Display the alternating form self in terms of its expansion w.r.t. a given module basis.

The expansion is actually performed onto exterior products of elements of the cobasis (dual basis) associated with basis (see examples below). The output is either text-formatted (console mode) or LaTeX-formatted (notebook mode).

INPUT:

basis – (default: None) basis of the free module with respect to which the alternating form is expanded; if none is provided, the module’s default basis is assumed
format_spec – (default: None) format specification passed to self._fmodule._output_formatter to format the output

EXAMPLES:

Display of an alternating form of degree 1 (linear form) on a rank-3 free module:

sage: M = FiniteRankFreeModule(ZZ, 3, name='M')
sage: e = M.basis('e')
sage: e.dual_basis()
Dual basis (e^0,e^1,e^2) on the Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring
sage: a = M.linear_form('a', latex_name=r'\alpha')
sage: a[:] = [1,-3,4]
sage: a.display(e)
a = e^0 - 3 e^1 + 4 e^2
sage: a.display()  # a shortcut since e is M's default basis
a = e^0 - 3 e^1 + 4 e^2
sage: latex(a.display())  # display in the notebook
\alpha = e^{0} -3 e^{1} + 4 e^{2}

A shortcut is disp():

sage: a.disp()
a = e^0 - 3 e^1 + 4 e^2

Display of an alternating form of degree 2 on a rank-3 free module:

sage: b = M.alternating_form(2, 'b', latex_name=r'\beta')
sage: b[0,1], b[0,2], b[1,2] = 3, 2, -1
sage: b.display()
b = 3 e^0∧e^1 + 2 e^0∧e^2 - e^1∧e^2
sage: latex(b.display())  # display in the notebook
\beta = 3 e^{0}\wedge e^{1} + 2 e^{0}\wedge e^{2} -e^{1}\wedge e^{2}

Display of an alternating form of degree 3 on a rank-3 free module:

sage: c = M.alternating_form(3, 'c')
sage: c[0,1,2] = 4
sage: c.display()
c = 4 e^0∧e^1∧e^2
sage: latex(c.display())
c = 4 e^{0}\wedge e^{1}\wedge e^{2}

Display of a vanishing alternating form:

sage: c[0,1,2] = 0  # the only independent component set to zero
sage: c.is_zero()
True
sage: c.display()
c = 0
sage: latex(c.display())
c = 0
sage: c[0,1,2] = 4  # value restored for what follows

Display in a basis which is not the default one:

sage: aut = M.automorphism(matrix=[[0,1,0], [0,0,-1], [1,0,0]],
....:                      basis=e)
sage: f = e.new_basis(aut, 'f')
sage: a.display(f)
a = 4 f^0 + f^1 + 3 f^2
sage: a.disp(f)     # shortcut notation
a = 4 f^0 + f^1 + 3 f^2
sage: b.display(f)
b = -2 f^0∧f^1 - f^0∧f^2 - 3 f^1∧f^2
sage: c.display(f)
c = -4 f^0∧f^1∧f^2

The output format can be set via the argument output_formatter passed at the module construction:

sage: N = FiniteRankFreeModule(QQ, 3, name='N', start_index=1,
....:                   output_formatter=Rational.numerical_approx)
sage: e = N.basis('e')
sage: b = N.alternating_form(2, 'b')
sage: b[1,2], b[1,3], b[2,3] = 1/3, 5/2, 4
sage: b.display()  # default format (53 bits of precision)
b = 0.333333333333333 e^1∧e^2 + 2.50000000000000 e^1∧e^3
 + 4.00000000000000 e^2∧e^3

The output format is then controlled by the argument format_spec of the method display():

sage: b.display(format_spec=10)  # 10 bits of precision
b = 0.33 e^1∧e^2 + 2.5 e^1∧e^3 + 4.0 e^2∧e^3

Check that the bug reported in trac ticket #22520 is fixed:

sage: M = FiniteRankFreeModule(SR, 2, name='M')  # optional - sage.symbolic
sage: e = M.basis('e')                           # optional - sage.symbolic
sage: a = M.alternating_form(2)                  # optional - sage.symbolic
sage: a[0,1] = SR.var('t', domain='real')        # optional - sage.symbolic
sage: a.display()                                # optional - sage.symbolic
t e^0∧e^1

display(basis=None, format_spec=None)#

Display the alternating form self in terms of its expansion w.r.t. a given module basis.

INPUT:

basis – (default: None) basis of the free module with respect to which the alternating form is expanded; if none is provided, the module’s default basis is assumed
format_spec – (default: None) format specification passed to self._fmodule._output_formatter to format the output

EXAMPLES:

Display of an alternating form of degree 1 (linear form) on a rank-3 free module:

sage: M = FiniteRankFreeModule(ZZ, 3, name='M')
sage: e = M.basis('e')
sage: e.dual_basis()
Dual basis (e^0,e^1,e^2) on the Rank-3 free module M over the Integer Ring
sage: a = M.linear_form('a', latex_name=r'\alpha')
sage: a[:] = [1,-3,4]
sage: a.display(e)
a = e^0 - 3 e^1 + 4 e^2
sage: a.display()  # a shortcut since e is M's default basis
a = e^0 - 3 e^1 + 4 e^2
sage: latex(a.display())  # display in the notebook
\alpha = e^{0} -3 e^{1} + 4 e^{2}

A shortcut is disp():

sage: a.disp()
a = e^0 - 3 e^1 + 4 e^2

Display of an alternating form of degree 2 on a rank-3 free module:

sage: b = M.alternating_form(2, 'b', latex_name=r'\beta')
sage: b[0,1], b[0,2], b[1,2] = 3, 2, -1
sage: b.display()
b = 3 e^0∧e^1 + 2 e^0∧e^2 - e^1∧e^2
sage: latex(b.display())  # display in the notebook
\beta = 3 e^{0}\wedge e^{1} + 2 e^{0}\wedge e^{2} -e^{1}\wedge e^{2}

Display of an alternating form of degree 3 on a rank-3 free module:

sage: c = M.alternating_form(3, 'c')
sage: c[0,1,2] = 4
sage: c.display()
c = 4 e^0∧e^1∧e^2
sage: latex(c.display())
c = 4 e^{0}\wedge e^{1}\wedge e^{2}

Display of a vanishing alternating form:

sage: c[0,1,2] = 0  # the only independent component set to zero
sage: c.is_zero()
True
sage: c.display()
c = 0
sage: latex(c.display())
c = 0
sage: c[0,1,2] = 4  # value restored for what follows

Display in a basis which is not the default one:

sage: aut = M.automorphism(matrix=[[0,1,0], [0,0,-1], [1,0,0]],
....:                      basis=e)
sage: f = e.new_basis(aut, 'f')
sage: a.display(f)
a = 4 f^0 + f^1 + 3 f^2
sage: a.disp(f)     # shortcut notation
a = 4 f^0 + f^1 + 3 f^2
sage: b.display(f)
b = -2 f^0∧f^1 - f^0∧f^2 - 3 f^1∧f^2
sage: c.display(f)
c = -4 f^0∧f^1∧f^2

The output format can be set via the argument output_formatter passed at the module construction:

sage: N = FiniteRankFreeModule(QQ, 3, name='N', start_index=1,
....:                   output_formatter=Rational.numerical_approx)
sage: e = N.basis('e')
sage: b = N.alternating_form(2, 'b')
sage: b[1,2], b[1,3], b[2,3] = 1/3, 5/2, 4
sage: b.display()  # default format (53 bits of precision)
b = 0.333333333333333 e^1∧e^2 + 2.50000000000000 e^1∧e^3
 + 4.00000000000000 e^2∧e^3

The output format is then controlled by the argument format_spec of the method display():

sage: b.display(format_spec=10)  # 10 bits of precision
b = 0.33 e^1∧e^2 + 2.5 e^1∧e^3 + 4.0 e^2∧e^3

Check that the bug reported in trac ticket #22520 is fixed:

sage: M = FiniteRankFreeModule(SR, 2, name='M')  # optional - sage.symbolic
sage: e = M.basis('e')                           # optional - sage.symbolic
sage: a = M.alternating_form(2)                  # optional - sage.symbolic
sage: a[0,1] = SR.var('t', domain='real')        # optional - sage.symbolic
sage: a.display()                                # optional - sage.symbolic
t e^0∧e^1

interior_product(alt_tensor)#

Interior product with an alternating contravariant tensor.

If self is an alternating form \(A\) of degree \(p\) and \(B\) is an alternating contravariant tensor of degree \(q\geq p\) on the same free module, the interior product of \(A\) by \(B\) is the alternating contravariant tensor \(\iota_A B\) of degree \(q-p\) defined by

\[(\iota_A B)^{i_1\ldots i_{q-p}} = A_{k_1\ldots k_p} B^{k_1\ldots k_p i_1\ldots i_{q-p}}\]

Note

A.interior_product(B) yields the same result as A.contract(0,..., p-1, B, 0,..., p-1) (cf. contract()), but interior_product is more efficient, the alternating character of \(A\) being not used to reduce the computation in contract()

INPUT:

alt_tensor – alternating contravariant tensor \(B\) (instance of AlternatingContrTensor); the degree of \(B\) must be at least equal to the degree of self

OUTPUT:

element of the base ring (case \(p=q\)) or AlternatingContrTensor (case \(p<q\)) representing the interior product \(\iota_A B\), where \(A\) is self