Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2006 iii Paper 20 1 Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-14
Let be the local flow of a vector field . The Lie derivative of a differential form is . We prove Cartan's magic formulaBoth sides are degree-zero derivations of an algebra on the exterior algebra of differential forms. They agree on a function , since . They also agree on : pullback commutes with the exterior derivative, so , while . Locally every differential form is a sum of products of functions and coordinate differentials, proving the identity in every degree.
For a compactly supported Hamiltonian vector field , take the convention . Since , Cartan's magic formula gives , so its complete flow of a vector field consists of symplectomorphisms. Given and , a bump function lets us choose a compactly supported with , and hence . Choose such fields for a basis of . Their successive small-time flows give a map with invertible derivative at the origin. The inverse function theorem makes the orbit of open. Every orbit is open; because is connected, there is only one orbit. Thus the compactly supported symplectomorphisms act transitively on points, by Hamiltonian transitivity on a connected symplectic manifold.
On the unit sphere, the standard symplectic area is . The equator has complementary disks of areas , whereas the latitude at height has complementary disks of areas : the cap above height has area . A symplectomorphism must preserve the unordered pair of complementary areas. Therefore no such symplectomorphism exists, by complementary areas obstruct symplectic equivalence of separating curves.
