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The exterior derivative is the real-linear degree-one operator $d:{\Omega }^k\to {\Omega }^{k+1}$ characterized by its usual derivative on functions, the graded Leibniz ruleand $d^2=0$. In local coordinates,These rules determine it uniquely, and the coordinate formula shows its existence and invariance under coordinate changes. It also commutes with pullback of a differential form.

On the unit ball let $V=x^i{\partial }_i$ be the radial vector field, and let $F_t(x)=tx$. For $k\ge 1$ define the radial homotopy operator byHere the vectors are identified using the ambient Euclidean coordinates. Equivalently $h_k\omega ={\int }_0^1{t}^{-1}{F}_t^{\ast }({\iota }_V\omega )dt$, where ${\iota }_V$ is the interior product. The apparent factor $t^{-1}$ is harmless: the coordinate coefficients of its integrand contain $t^{k-1}$, so the integral is smooth at $t=0$ and depends smoothly on $x$. This is a linear map to ${\Omega }^{k-1}$; set $h_0=0$.

For $t>0$, differentiation of the coordinate pullback and Cartan's magic formula giveFor completeness, Cartan’s identity follows by checking it on functions and coordinate one-forms: both sides give $V(f)$ on $f$ and $d(V(x^i))$ on $d{x}^i$. Both are degree-zero derivations of the exterior algebra, so the checks imply the identity on every local form. Integrating from zero to one provesFor positive $k$, the pullback by the constant map is zero, so this is the required identity. If $d\omega =0$ and $k\ge 1$, it follows that $\omega =d(h_k\omega )$. A chart about any point contains such a ball, proving the Poincaré lemma. In degree zero the formula is instead $h_{1}df=f-f(0)$: a constant function cannot be the image of the uncorrected homotopy identity. This degree-zero correction to radial homotopy specifies the necessary positive-degree convention in the printed request.

To treat the sphere, cover $S^2$ by the complements of its north and south poles. Each is diffeomorphic to ${\mathbb{R}}^2$, where the same star-shaped homotopy applies. A closed differential one-form $\alpha$ therefore has local primitives $f_N$ and $f_S$. On their overlap $d(f_N-f_S)=0$. This overlap is connected, so the difference is a constant $c$. Replacing $f_N$ by $f_N-c$ makes the primitives agree, and they glue smoothly to a global function. ThusThis proves directly that closed one-forms on the two-sphere are exact.

For the Hodge decomposition theorem, assume a compact oriented Riemannian manifold without boundary. The Hodge star operator is characterized by $\alpha \wedge \ast \beta =⟨\alpha ,\beta ⟩{\mathrm{vol}}_g$ and obeys $\ast \ast \alpha =(-1{)}^{k(n-k)}\alpha$. The formal $L^2$ adjoint of $d$ on $k$-forms is $\delta =(-1{)}^{n(k+1)+1}\ast d\ast$. Define the Hodge Laplacian $\Delta =d\delta +\delta d$ and the space ${\mathcal{H}}^k=\ker \Delta$ of harmonic differential forms. Integration by parts, with no boundary term, givesHence a form is harmonic exactly when it is both closed and coclosed. The Hodge decomposition theorem states that ${\mathcal{H}}^k$ is finite-dimensional and that there is the orthogonal decompositionIf a closed form has decomposition $\alpha =h+d\beta +\delta \gamma$, then $⟨\alpha ,\delta \gamma ⟩=⟨d\alpha ,\gamma ⟩=0$. Orthogonality consequently forces $\delta \gamma =0$, so its de Rham cohomology class is represented by $h$. An exact harmonic form $h=d\beta$ has $\Vert h{\Vert }^2=⟨\delta h,\beta ⟩=0$, proving uniqueness. Thus

Every top-degree form is $\omega =f{\mathrm{vol}}_g$, and $d\omega =0$ for dimensional reasons. Its Hodge star is $f$, so the formula for $\delta$ shows that $\delta \omega =0$ exactly when $df=0$. On a connected manifold this says that $f$ is constant. Therefore the harmonic top-degree forms on a closed oriented manifold form the spaceAny such smooth manifold admits a Riemannian metric; the assertion is valid for every choice of that metric.