Metric Structures in Differential Geometry (Graduate Texts in Mathematics, 224) - Hardcover

Walschap, Gerard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 038720430X ISBN 13: 9780387204307

Publisher: Springer, 2004

Synopsis

This book offers an introduction to the theory of differentiable manifolds and fiber bundles. It examines bundles from the point of view of metric differential geometry: Euclidean bundles, Riemannian connections, curvature, and Chern-Weil theory are discussed, including the Pontrjagin, Euler, and Chern characteristic classes of a vector bundle. These concepts are illustrated in detail for bundles over spheres.

About this title

From the Back Cover

This text is an introduction to the theory of differentiable manifolds and fiber bundles. The only requisites are a solid background in calculus and linear algebra, together with some basic point-set topology. The first chapter provides a comprehensive overview of differentiable manifolds. The following two chapters are devoted to fiber bundles and homotopy theory of fibrations. Vector bundles have been emphasized, although principal bundles are also discussed in detail. The last three chapters study bundles from the point of view of metric differential geometry: Euclidean bundles, Riemannian connections, curvature, and Chern-Weil theory are discussed, including the Pontrjagin, Euler, and Chern characteristic classes of a vector bundle. These concepts are illustrated in detail for bundles over spheres. Chapter 5, with its focus on the tangent bundle, also serves as a basic introduction to Riemannian geometry in the large. This book can be used for a one-semester course on manifolds or bundles, or a two-semester course in differential geometry.

Gerard Walschap is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oklahoma where he developed this book for a series of graduate courses he has taught over the past few years.

Review

From the reviews:

"The book gives an introduction to the basic theory of differentiable manifolds and fiber bundles ... The book is well written. The presentation is clear, detailed and essentially self-contained. This book is suitable for senior undergraduate and graduate students. It can be used for a course on manifolds and bundles, or a course in differential geometry." (M. Burkhardt, Zeitschrift für Analysis und ihre Anwendungen, 1, 2005)

"This text is an introduction to the theory of differentiable manifolds and fiber bundles ... provides a comprehensive overview of differentiable manifolds ... concepts are illustrated in detail for bundles over spheres ... This book can be used for a one-semester course on manifolds or bundles, or a two-semester course in differential geometry." (L'enseignement mathématique, 50:1-2, 2004)

"This book is based on the author’s graduate-level lecture notes. ... One of the strengths of this book is the fact that the author manages in a 220-page volume to cover important themes in Riemannian geometry and fiber bundles. ... The book contains some nice examples ... . The topics are well-closed and the content is well-organized. ... This clearly written book is an excellent source for teaching a course in differential geometry ... . It is a worthwhile addition to any mathematical library." (Stere Ianus, Zentralblatt MATH, Vol. 1083, 2006)

"This text should be an elementary introduction to differential geometry. ... The style is rather concise and many facts are shifted to 165 nontrivial exercises. The book is very well written and can be recommended to those who want to learn the topic quickly and actively." (EMS Newsletter, June, 2005)

"This book is a carefully written text for an introductory graduate course on differentiable manifolds, fiber bundles and Riemannian geometry. ... This book is a thorough and insightful introduction to modern differential geometry with many interesting examples and exercises that illustrate key concepts effectively; it is highly recommended by the reviewer." (Thomas E. Cecil, Mathematical Reviews, Issue 2006 e)

"In every mathematical library a number of introductory books to differential geometry can be found. They are all different in some aspect, but – at the same time – none presents all the concepts equally successfully to all the readers. So there is allways a need for new introductory books, and Walschap’s book is a good one of these. ... The series of definitions, concepts and theories are punctuated by examples, remarks. Each section ends with exercises." (Árpád Kurusa, Acta Scientiarum Mathematicarum, Vol. 73, 2007)

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 038720430X
• ISBN 13: 9780387204307
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 237