Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2021 iii Paper 311 2 b Solution 2026-09-28
Put . At large , the one-form dual to hasOnly the term contributes to the constant- Komar integral, andWith the stated orientation, the asymptotic Hodge star operator givesThe angular integral is the area of the unit four-sphere,ConsequentlyThis is the Komar mass of the Singly rotating six-dimensional Myers-Perry black hole in the units of the question.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 iii Paper 118 4 Solution 2026-09-28
Write for the underlying Riemannian metric of the Hermitian manifold. Its fundamental form of a Hermitian manifold isIt is real and skew-symmetric. In a unitary coframe it is , which also shows that it has type and thatThe Hodge star operator is characterized, after complex-linear extension, byExpanding in the same unitary coframe gives
The Hodge Laplacian and Dolbeault Laplacian areThe Dolbeault Hodge decomposition on a compact Hermitian manifold says that every Dolbeault class has a unique -harmonic representative andIf , thenso is -closed and -closed. If also , then , hence .
Now suppose is compact and Kähler. With and , the Kähler identities make the mixed anticommutators vanish and give . Consequently
Let and . The Kähler Laplacian identity implies that the -Laplacian commutes with . Since a harmonic form is -closed, is orthogonal to every harmonic form. If is the Green operator of the Hodge Laplacian, thenwhere the term vanishes because . The Green operator commutes with , and the anticommutation identity just proved givesTherefore, for the -form ,This is the d d c lemma in the form required here.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 iii Paper 309 2 a i Solution 2026-09-28
Varying the inverse metric in produces three identical terms. With ,In four dimensions use the Hodge star operator to define the dual covector . Then and , so equivalently
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2022 iii Paper 313 3 Solution 2026-09-28
On an oriented pseudo-Riemannian vector space , the Hodge star operator is the unique linear mapsatisfyingfor all -forms . If is the number of negative metric directions, thenon -forms under this convention. For the two-forms in the question,whereasThe induced inner product is symmetric, so these expressions are negatives of one another. Hence a self-dual differential form and an anti-self-dual differential form are orthogonal and
Write and . The metric is conformal to the standard Euclidean metric, and the Hodge star on middle-degree differential forms is conformally invariant. Taking , the three real forms arebecause . For the orientation specified by
, one hasThe corresponding relations for the complementary basis forms immediately giveThus these forms give a real basis of the self-dual two-forms.
, one hasThe corresponding relations for the complementary basis forms immediately giveThus these forms give a real basis of the self-dual two-forms.
Let be the gauge covariant derivative. In these complex coordinates the Anti-self-dual Yang-Mills equations areIntroduce the spectral parameter and the linear operatorsTheir commutator isTherefore the Lax pair for the anti-self-dual Yang-Mills equationsis compatible for every exactly when the ASDYM equations hold.
In particular, says that the connection restricted to each surface is a flat connection. On a simply connected coordinate patch, the compatible equationshave an invertible solution . Applying the associated gauge transformation setsThis conclusion is local; global topology can obstruct a single such gauge over the whole space.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2023 iii Paper 313 3 a Solution 2026-09-28
On an oriented Euclidean four-space with its metric volume form, the Hodge star operator is defined byfor forms and of the same degree. In Euclidean dimensions it satisfiesHence on two-forms in four dimensions,The normalization of as the metric volume form is essential; reversing its orientation reverses a single Hodge star but leaves its square unchanged.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 115 4 d Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The metric induces an inner product on decomposable -forms byextended bilinearly. On an oriented Riemannian manifold, the Hodge star operator is characterized byOn -forms in dimension ,
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 313 2 Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The curvature of isor . The covariant exterior derivative and the Jacobi identity give the Bianchi identity
Since the Hodge star operator satisfies on Euclidean two-forms,Using the opposite choice of sign as well givesEquality holds precisely for a self-dual or anti-self-dual Yang-Mills instanton, with the sign selected by that of .
Now assume and write . ThenThe spatial Bianchi identity and the self-duality equations becomewhere the upper four-dimensional sign gives the first displayed reduced sign under the orientation used here. Consequently
Gauge invariance of the inner product givesFor ,Since at infinity, the weak maximum principle for elliptic operators excludes a negative interior minimum. Hence
With , direct decomposition givesBecause ,so the Pontryagin density reduces to the surface charge per unit . The conventional three-dimensional energyobeys the Bogomolny bound , saturated by the Bogomolny-Prasad-Sommerfield monopole equation. The four-dimensional action density per unit is ; signs relating and depend on the self-duality and orientation convention.
For the hedgehog ansatz for a monopole in the question, direct differentiation with givesOn a sphere of radius ,ThereforeThe boundary conditions and make the integrand equal to . Thus
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2024 iii Paper 313 3 Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
Write . Up to a total derivative, the covariant-gradient identity and completion of the magnetic and potential terms giveFor positive flux, equality in the Bogomolny bound therefore gives the Bogomolny vortex equationsThe opposite simultaneous signs describe negative winding.
For , put . Away from zeros, the first vortex equation givesSincethe field satisfies the Liouville equationFor holomorphic , direct use of the Cauchy-Riemann equations verifiesChoosing gives the radial Witten hyperbolic vortexFor these reduce toSince ,This directly verifies the Abelian Higgs vortex flux relation for unit winding.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 115 2 b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
The metric on covectors is induced by the inverse matrix , and on -forms by the determinant pairingThe Riemannian volume form is the unique positive top form taking value one on every oriented orthonormal frame. The Hodge star operator is uniquely determined byNondegeneracy of the wedge pairing proves existence and uniqueness pointwise, and the smooth metric dependence makes a well-defined smooth bundle map.
On compactly supported forms, Stokes theorem and the graded Leibniz rule givewhere ; this is the formal adjoint of . The Hodge Laplace-Beltrami operator is
For , the covector metric scales by , the -form metric by , and the volume form by . ThereforeIf is constant, the two star factors in the codifferential contribute , so . Since is metric-independent,
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 309 4 c Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
The first vacuum Maxwell equations equation is preserved for every vector field because part a givesOn two-forms in four dimensions, the mixed volume tensor represents twice the Hodge star operator. Part b therefore says that a conformal Killing field commutes with the Hodge star:It follows thatHence satisfies both vacuum Maxwell equations whenever does.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2025 iii Paper 313 2 i Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The Hodge star operator is defined byOn two-forms in oriented Euclidean four-space, and the wedge product is symmetric. ThereforeFor an anti-self-dual curvature , the Yang-Mills instanton action becomes purely topological. Withthe standard positive-action convention gives
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 131 3 a Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
An orientation selects the positive ordered bases in each tangent space. On an oriented -dimensional Riemannian manifold, the Riemannian volume form is the unique smooth -form satisfyingfor every positively oriented orthonormal frame. In positively oriented local coordinates,
The metric induces an inner product on the bundle of -forms. The Hodge star operator is the unique linear mapsuch thatfor all -forms . With the codifferential , the Laplace-Beltrami operator on differential forms is
The Hodge decomposition theorem says that on a compact oriented Riemannian manifold,an -orthogonal direct sum, where is the finite-dimensional space of harmonic -forms. Every de Rham cohomology class has exactly one harmonic representative.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 131 3 c Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-03
On -forms in dimension , the defining identity for the Hodge star operator givesFor and , therefore, . For every defineThen , , and . The two eigenspaces of the involution have zero intersection, which proves uniqueness. They are respectively the spaces of self-dual and anti-self-dual two-forms.
Now suppose is compact and let be an exact three-form, say . Apply the Hodge decomposition theorem to the two-form :Set . Then and . For a two-form in dimension four, , so . The self-dual formsatisfiesThus every exact three-form is the exterior derivative of a self-dual two-form.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2026 iii Paper 309 4 b Solution Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-09-25
The Hodge star operator is defined byfor forms of the same degree. In four dimensions, under , the inner product on -forms scales by and the volume form scales by . HenceFor the exponent vanishes, so the Hodge star on two-forms is conformally invariant.
For a function and one-form , the codifferential obeys . This follows from the graded Leibniz rule and the definition of the Hodge star operator. Applying it to gives the product formula. In particular . The cross-term sign reverses for the opposite Laplace-Beltrami operator convention.
Real de Rham intersection form in dimension four Created 2026-10-06 Updated 2026-10-07
On a compact oriented smooth manifold of dimension four without boundary, set for closed real two-forms. The Stokes theorem makes the expression independent of representatives, and the even degrees make it symmetric. It is the real de Rham cohomology version of the intersection form. The Hodge decomposition theorem and Hodge star operator express it as on harmonic representatives.
Self-dual differential form Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
Self-dual Yang-Mills equations 2026-10-06
The self-dual Yang-Mills equations require a gauge curvature two-form to have positive Hodge star operator eigenvalue on an oriented Riemannian four-manifold. By the Bianchi identity, they imply the full second-order Yang-Mills equations. Smooth finite-action solutions saturate the Yang-Mills instanton Bogomolny bound. Reversing orientation exchanges this equation with the Anti-self-dual Yang-Mills equations.
On a closed oriented Riemannian manifold of dimension four, the Hodge star operator preserves harmonic two-forms and splits them into orthogonal spaces and with eigenvalues and . The real de Rham intersection form in dimension four equals the positive inner product on and its negative on . It is nondegenerate, since . Its signature pair is .
Top de Rham cohomology of a compact connected oriented manifold Created 2026-10-06 Updated 2026-10-07
For a compact connected oriented boundaryless -dimensional smooth manifold, choose a Riemannian metric. Harmonic functions are constant because , and Hodge star commutes with the Hodge Laplacian. Thus the Hodge star operator identifies the constant functions with the harmonic differential forms of top degree, exactly . The Hodge decomposition theorem identifies these with the top de Rham cohomology. The metric volume form has nonzero class by Stokes theorem. The harmonic-representative theorem is stated in Denis Auroux's Hodge theory lecture.