Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2004/iii/paper-19/1/b/solution

Write and let denote parallel transport. Since is a geodesic, , while the transported vectors satisfy . The locally symmetric Riemannian manifold condition is . Hence the Levi-Civita connection product rule yields
Both this vector field and are parallel and agree at zero. Uniqueness of parallel transport therefore proves
The eigenvalues are independent of . The original PDF has here; the converted TeX omits the dot, which would incorrectly put a point rather than a tangent vector in the operator's subscript.

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