Covariant derivative

A connection defines covariant differentiation by adding one connection term for each contravariant index and subtracting one for each covariant index.

Let $A_b^{\prime }=J^d{}_b{A}_d$, where $J^d{}_b=\partial x^d/\partial x^{\prime b}$. ThenThe second term prevents the ordinary derivative from being a generally covariant tensor. It vanishes for affine coordinate changes, including Cartesian Lorentz transformations, so the restricted claim of Lorentz covariance is valid. Antisymmetrization cancels the same term for arbitrary smooth coordinate changes and gives the exterior derivative of a one-form.

The Christoffel trace identity converts the covariant derivative of a vector field into a coordinate divergence weighted by the metric volume density. This is valid for the Levi-Civita connection. Applied to the raised gradient of a scalar field, it gives $\square \varphi =|g{|}^{-1/2}{\partial }_{\mu }(\sqrt{|g|}{g}^{\mu \nu }{\partial }_{\nu }\varphi )$ in Lorentzian signature, the curved d'Alembert operator.

The covariant divergence contracts a covariant-derivative index with a contravariant tensor index. For a mixed rank-two tensor it is ${\nabla }_{\mu }{T}^{\mu }{}_{\nu }$.

A tensor of type $(r,s)$ has $r$ contravariant and $s$ covariant indices. Taking a covariant derivative adds one covariant index, while an outer tensor product adds the corresponding contravariant and covariant index counts.

Under a coordinate change $x\mapsto x^{\prime }$, the components of a type-$(r,s)$ tensor acquire one forward Jacobian for each contravariant index and one inverse Jacobian for each covariant index. For a type-$(1,1)$ tensor,

A tensor density of weight $w$ transforms like a tensor with an additional factor $|\det (\partial x/\partial x^{\prime }){|}^w$ under $x\mapsto x^{\prime }$. A scalar density of weight one can be integrated against the coordinate volume element to give an invariant integral. On a spatial hypersurface, $\sqrt{h}$ is such a scalar density; hence ${\pi }^{ij}=\sqrt{h}{p}^{ij}$ is a tensor density when $p^{ij}$ is an ordinary tensor. The Levi-Civita connection extends to densities and satisfies $D_i\sqrt{h}=0$.

The identity tensor is the canonical type-$(1,1)$ tensor that maps each tangent vector to itself. It pairs a covector $\eta$ and vector $V$ as $\eta (V)$, and its components are the Kronecker delta ${\delta }^{\mu }{}_{\nu }$ in every coordinate system.

For $W_{\mu \nu }$,

The Levi-Civita connection is the unique torsion-free connection compatible with the metric; its coefficients are the Christoffel symbols formed from first metric derivatives.

For metric tensors related by $\tilde{g}=e^{2\omega }g$, differentiating the rescaled metric tensor in the Christoffel symbol formula gives the displayed difference, where ${\omega }_a={\partial }_a\omega$ and the index on ${\omega }^a$ is raised with $g$. Consequently ${\tilde{\nabla }}_{V}V={\nabla }_{V}V+2V(\omega )V-g(V,V){\mathrm{grad}}_g\omega$. The last term vanishes on a null vector, proving conformal preservation of null geodesic paths; for a non-null geodesic its orthogonal component generally changes the path.

For a family of Levi-Civita connections, the difference of affine connections is a tensor. Dividing by the family parameter and taking the limit shows that its variation is tensorial. Vary the metric compatibility equation and retain the symmetry of the two lower indices. Adding the two cyclic identities and subtracting the third gives the displayed result. In a normal coordinate frame it is the direct derivative of the Christoffel formula; its tensorial form then holds in every frame.

Two Riemannian metrics have the same Levi-Civita connection precisely when their relative positive self-adjoint endomorphism $A$ is parallel for that connection. Parallel transport preserves both metrics. Consequently agreement at one point implies agreement everywhere on a connected manifold. Without that agreement, constant scalar multiples always give examples; constant nonproportional Euclidean forms show that a common connection does not force scalar proportionality.

A Riemannian metric determines a unique torsion-free connection that is a metric connection. Metric compatibility and the torsion identity imply the Koszul formula, which proves uniqueness. Conversely the right-hand side of the Koszul formula is a smooth one-form in its last vector-field argument. The musical isomorphism defines $D_{X}Y$ from it; expanding the Lie bracket of vector fields verifies the connection rules, metric compatibility and zero torsion. Thus it constructs the Levi-Civita connection intrinsically.

The Lie derivative of a connection is the tensorAn isometry preserves the Levi-Civita connection, so ${\mathcal{L}}_K\nabla =0$ for a Killing vector field.