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For Cartesian tensors, let $R$ be the orthogonal matrix taking old vector components to new ones, $v_i^{\prime }=R_{ij}{v}_j$. A rank-$n$ tensor transforms by one copy of $R$ on each index:Repeated indices are summed according to Einstein notation. In general coordinates a contravariant tensor index instead carries the corresponding Jacobian matrix $\partial x^{\prime i}/\partial x^j$, and a covariant tensor index carries its inverse; in orthonormal bases of Cartesian axes their component laws coincide with the displayed form.

An isotropic tensor has identical components after every proper orthogonal transformation, so $T^{\prime }=T$ for every $R$ with $R^{T}R=I$ and $\det R=1$. Requiring reflection invariance as well is a stronger convention for odd tensor ranks. The Kronecker delta is invariant under all orthogonal transformations, while the Levi-Civita symbol is invariant under proper rotations and acquires a determinant sign under reflections.

An isotropic tensor has unchanged components under every rotation of the Cartesian axes. Under proper rotations in three dimensions, rank one has no nonzero isotropic tensor, rank two has $\boxed{T_{ij}=A{\delta }_{ij}}$, and rank three has $\boxed{T_{ijk}=B{ϵ}_{ijk}}$. Here $\delta$ is the Kronecker delta and $ϵ$ the Levi-Civita symbol. If invariance under reflections is also required for a true tensor, the rank-three case vanishes; $ϵ$ is then a pseudotensor.

The velocity gradient tensor for the given field isIts symmetric part, the strain-rate tensor if $\mathbf{u}$ is interpreted as a velocity, isThe antisymmetric part has the specified ordering $D_{ik}-e_{ik}={ϵ}_{ijk}{\omega }_j$, withThe index ordering matters for this sign; it agrees with a local rotation velocity $\mathbf{\omega }\times \mathbf{x}$. This is the axial part of the scalar, symmetric-traceless and axial tensor decomposition, retaining the trace inside the symmetric part here.

At the specified point, $e=\left(\begin{array}{ccc}9& 6& 0\\ 6& 0& 0\\ 0& 0& 4\end{array}\right)$. The upper block has characteristic polynomial ${\lambda }^2-9\lambda -36=(\lambda -12)(\lambda +3)$. Thus the principal values and unit eigenvectors areThese mutually orthogonal directions are the principal strain rates' axes for this local field; reversing an eigenvector does not change its axis.

For a Cartesian tensor under a proper orthogonal change $R$, the rank-$n$ law is $T_{i_1\cdots i_n}^{\prime }=R_{i_1{j}_1}\cdots R_{i_n{j}_n}{T}_{j_1\cdots j_n}$, with repeated indices summed. An isotropic tensor has $T^{\prime }=T$ for every such rotation.

For rank two, $T=RT{R}^T$. A half-turn about a coordinate axis, obtained by applying a quarter-turn twice, reverses each off-diagonal component with exactly one index on that axis. Invariance forces every off-diagonal entry to vanish. A quarter-turn about the third axis exchanges $T_{11}$ and $T_{22}$; quarter-turns about the other axes equate them with $T_{33}$. Thus the isotropic second-rank tensor isConversely $R(\lambda I)R^T=\lambda I$, proving sufficiency.

Under an orthogonal change of Cartesian coordinates with $x_i^{\prime }=R_{ia}{x}_a$, a rank-$n$ Cartesian tensor transforms as $T_{i_1\cdots i_n}^{\prime }=R_{i_1{j}_1}\cdots R_{i_n{j}_n}{T}_{j_1\cdots j_n}$, summing repeated indices. An isotropic tensor is invariant under every rotation. For an isotropic fourth-rank tensor, half-turns about the coordinate axes eliminate components unless each coordinate label occurs an even number of times. Coordinate rotations make the remaining two-pair patterns depend on three constants $c_{1122}=\alpha$, $c_{1212}=\beta$, $c_{1221}=\gamma$. Invariance after rotating the first axis to $(e_1+e_2)/\sqrt{2}$ gives $c_{1111}=\alpha +\beta +\gamma$. HenceThis is a direct proof of the rank-four isotropic decomposition, without assuming any prior interchange symmetry of the four indices. Each displayed delta pairing is itself rotation invariant.

For symmetric strain, contraction gives ${\sigma }_{ij}=\alpha e_{kk}{\delta }_{ij}+(\beta +\gamma )e_{ij}$. Comparing with the Lamé parameters yieldsWrite $p=e_{kk}/3$ and $d_{ij}=e_{ij}-p{\delta }_{ij}$, so $d_{kk}=0$. Since $e_{ij}{e}_{ij}=3p^2+d_{ij}{d}_{ij}$, the strain energy density becomesThe two terms describe volumetric and shear deformation, respectively. Thus nonnegative isotropic elastic strain energy is equivalent toNecessity also follows by taking a nonzero traceless strain and a pure dilation separately. The combination $K=\lambda +2\mu /3$ is the bulk modulus; strict inequalities give positive energy for every nonzero strain.

An isotropic tensor has unchanged components under every proper rotation of the Cartesian axes. Every rank-zero scalar is isotropic, and $c{\delta }_{ij}$ is a rank-two example. The zero rank-one tensor is isotropic, but no nonzero vector is: a half-turn about an axis perpendicular to it reverses its sign.

For the inertia tensor, write $u=x-G$ and $X=P-G$, so $x-P=u-X$. Expand its defining integrand. Every cross term has an integral containing ${\int }_{B}u\rho d^{3}x=0$ by the definition of the centre of mass. The remaining terms give the tensor parallel-axis theorem:For a uniform unit ball, rotational symmetry gives $\int \rho u_i{u}_j{d}^{3}u=c{\delta }_{ij}$. Its trace is $\int \rho |u{|}^2{d}^{3}u=3M/5$, so $c=M/5$ and $I(G)=2MI/5$. ThereforeAssuming positive mass, it is isotropic exactly when $P=G$. For $X\ne 0$, its eigenvalues and directions areTo give an explicit orthonormal eigenbasis when $X_1^2+X_2^2>0$, take $e_1=(-X_2,X_1,0)/\sqrt{X_1^2+X_2^2}$ and $e_2=e_{\parallel }\times e_1$. If $X$ is a nonzero vector along the third axis, take the first two coordinate unit vectors instead. At $X=0$, all three eigenvalues are $2M/5$ and every orthonormal basis works. The inertia tensor of a displaced uniform ball describes the same result for an arbitrary radius.

In Cartesian coordinates a rank-$r$ tensor is an array whose components transform under a change of orthonormal axes by one rotation matrix factor per index:An isotropic tensor has unchanged components under every proper rotation. The Levi-Civita symbol obeysfor $Q\in SO(3)$, proving rotation invariance of the Levi-Civita symbol. Under an orthogonal transformation of determinant $-1$ its sign reverses; including such transformations requires the pseudotensor distinction. Here isotropy is with respect to proper rotations.

Contract the determinant identity with ${ϵ}_{ijk}$. Since ${ϵ}_{ijk}{ϵ}_{ijk}=3!=6$, one obtainsEvery index on the right is contracted, so the tensor component transformation law leaves no free rotation factor: the determinant is a scalar. Equivalently, $A^{\prime }=QA{Q}^T$ gives $\det A^{\prime }=(\det Q{)}^2\det A=\det A$.

For the matrix inverse, defineThis is the cofactor matrix. To verify the inverse formula rather than just recognize it, contract with $A_{ib}$ and use the determinant identity again:Here the contraction of two Levi-Civita symbols gives ${ϵ}_{ajk}{ϵ}_{ijk}=2{\delta }_{ai}$. Therefore $A{C}^T=(\det A)I$ and, when $\det A\ne 0$,These are the Levi-Civita formulas for a three-dimensional determinant and inverse.

Now differentiate the cubic determinant formula with respect to the individual entry $A_{ab}$. The three differentiated factors give equal contributions: exchanging two paired indices changes the sign of both epsilon symbols, leaving their product unchanged. ThusSubstituting the inverse expression proves the entrywise derivative of the determinant:The cofactor version remains valid for singular matrices; only the inverse version requires invertibility.

For the time-dependent Jacobian matrix, the stated smooth expansion impliesApplying the chain rule and the entrywise determinant derivative gives Jacobi's formula near $t=0$:At zero, $C=I$, so ${{\partial }_t\det A|}_0={\sum }_a{\partial }_a{u}_a=\nabla \cdot u$. A Taylor expansion therefore yieldsThe Jacobian determinant measures local volume change, so this establishes volume preservation to first order. An arbitrary family specified only through its first-order expansion need not preserve volume exactly at higher orders.

Let $Q$ be the orthogonal matrix taking old components to new ones, so $x_i^{\prime }=Q_{ip}{x}_p$. With repeated indices summed, the tensor component transformation law isAn isotropic tensor has the same components after every proper rotation. Since $Q_{ip}{Q}_{jp}={\delta }_{ij}$, the Kronecker delta is invariant. Applying this identity to each factor shows that $a{\delta }_{ij}$ and every linear combination $b{\delta }_{ij}{\delta }_{kl}+c{\delta }_{ik}{\delta }_{jl}+d{\delta }_{il}{\delta }_{jk}$ are invariant as well.

To show that an isotropic second-rank tensor must be scalar, start with any matrix $t$, without assuming symmetry. Invariance under quarter-turns about axes 1 and 2 implies invariance under their squares, the half-turnsThe first forces $t_{12},t_{21},t_{13},t_{31}$ to vanish. The second also forces $t_{23},t_{32}$ to vanish. The matrix is therefore diagonal. A quarter-turn about axis 1 interchanges its 22 and 33 entries; one about axis 2 interchanges its 11 and 33 entries. All three must agree, giving $t=aI$.

A rotation preserves the ball $V_R$, $|x{|}^2$ and the volume element. Changing integration variables by that rotation shows that $A$ and $B$ are isotropic tensors. Write $A_{ij}=a{\delta }_{ij}$. Taking its tensor contraction givesso $a=4\pi R^7/21$. Every permutation of the indices of $B$ leaves its integrand unchanged. Its complete symmetry therefore makes all three isotropic coefficients equal, say $d$:Double contraction gives $15d=B_{iikk}={\int }_{V_R}|x{|}^{4}dV=4\pi R^7/7$. Thus the isotropic fourth moment of a ball and its radial contraction are

Put $d=4\pi R^7/105$, so that $a=5d$. Contract $B$ with the prescribed unit vector twice:This has the spectrum of a scalar matrix plus a rank-one projector. In the direction $n$, the outer product $n{n}^T$ acts as the identity; on the plane perpendicular to $n$, it acts as zero. ThereforeAny nonzero multiple of $n$ is a parallel eigenvector, and any nonzero vector in the perpendicular plane is a transverse eigenvector. The transverse eigenvalue has multiplicity two; an orthonormal basis of that plane completes a set of principal axes.

A Cartesian tensor of order $n$ is a multilinear geometric object whose components under an orthogonal change of axes obey the tensor component transformation law,An isotropic tensor has the same components under every proper rotation. For the Kronecker delta,Thus ${\delta }_{ij}$ is isotropic, even under improper orthogonal transformations.

To prove multiplicativity of the determinant from the given formula, first consider $C_{pqr}={ϵ}_{ijk}{A}_{ip}{A}_{jq}{A}_{kr}$. Exchanging any two of $p,q,r$ changes its sign, so it is proportional to the Levi-Civita symbol. Its $123$ component is the determinant, as follows by expanding the given double-epsilon expression. ThereforeSubstitute $(AB{)}_{il}=A_{ip}{B}_{pl}$ into that same determinant formula:HenceNo invertibility assumption was used, so this identity includes singular matrices.

Now differentiate the double-epsilon formula for a differentiable $A(t)$. Its three differentiated terms are equal after renaming the paired dummy indices: the simultaneous swaps in both epsilon symbols cancel their signs. Thuswhere $C_{il}$ is the cofactor of entry $A_{il}$. For an invertible matrix, the adjugate matrix identity gives $C_{il}=(\det A)(A^{-1}{)}_{li}$. Consequently the Jacobi determinant derivative formula isThe order of the factors inside the trace follows from the reversed cofactor indices; no commutativity of $A$ and $\dot{A}$ is assumed. The cofactor version is also Jacobi's formula and remains valid when $A$ is singular, although the inverse version then cannot be used.

For a constant orthogonal Cartesian change of coordinates $x_i^{\prime }=Q_{ij}{x}_j$, the tensor component transformation law for order $n$ isRepeated indices are summed. In Cartesian orthonormal coordinates the metric identifies upper and lower indices, so the same orthogonal matrix acts on every index.

An isotropic tensor has the same numerical components after every proper orthogonal change of axes: $Q^{\otimes n}T=T$ for every $Q$ with $Q^{T}Q=I$ and $\det Q=1$. For example, ${\delta }_{ij}$ is isotropic because $Q_{ik}{Q}_{jk}={\delta }_{ij}$. Some conventions require invariance under all orthogonal transformations, including reflections; this stronger convention must be distinguished for odd-order tensors, notably the Levi-Civita symbol, which is invariant under proper rotations but changes sign under its ordinary three-index transformation for a reflection.

Take the centre of the ball as the origin. An orthogonal change of variables leaves both this domain and its volume measure invariant. Consequently its Cartesian moment integrals are isotropic tensors. Equivalently, inversion $x\mapsto -x$ immediately makes every odd moment zero.

There is no nonzero invariant rank-one vector, soAn isotropic tensor of rank two is a scalar multiple of the Kronecker delta, giving ${\int }_V{x}_i{x}_{j}dV=\alpha {\delta }_{ij}$. Contract the indices and use spherical coordinates:Thus the Cartesian moments of a three-dimensional ball giveFor the last identity, one may also use the general rotation-invariant rank-three tensor $c{ϵ}_{ijk}$: the moment is fully symmetric in its indices, whereas the Levi-Civita symbol is antisymmetric, forcing $c=0$.

The origin convention is necessary. For a ball centred at a nonzero vector $c$, its first moment would instead be $(4\pi a^3/3)c_i$, so the displayed claims implicitly refer to coordinates measured from its centre.

An order-$n$ Cartesian tensor has $3^n$ components whose values in two orthonormal Cartesian frames satisfywith repeated indices summed as in Einstein notation. It is an isotropic tensor when its components are unchanged by every proper rotation, $R\in SO(3)$.

For rank two, a half-turn about any coordinate axis changes the sign of each component having exactly one index along that axis. Invariance therefore makes every off-diagonal component zero. Quarter-turns interchanging two coordinate axes then require $T_{11}=T_{22}=T_{33}$. Thus, without assuming symmetry in advance,Conversely, the Kronecker delta is invariant because $R_{ik}{R}_{jk}={\delta }_{ij}$, so every tensor of this form is isotropic.

For rank three the general proper-rotation invariant form iswhere ${ϵ}_{ijk}$ is the Levi-Civita symbol. The convention matters: the isotropic rank-three tensor and reflections distinction says that invariance of a polar tensor under all $R\in O(3)$ would force $b=0$. A nonzero ${ϵ}_{ijk}$ is invariant under proper rotations, and is a pseudotensor under the full orthogonal group. The shell integrals below are invariant under reflections as well, so their odd moments vanish.

Let $M_{ijkl}={\int }_V{x}_i{x}_j{x}_k{x}_l{d}^{3}x$. It is an isotropic tensor and is invariant under every permutation of its four indices. Thus the three coefficients in the general rank-four isotropic form must coincide:A double tensor contraction givesHere the three contracted Kronecker delta products contribute $9$, $3$ and $3$. Contracting instead with the four unit vectors yieldsThis agrees with subtracting two instances of the isotropic fourth moment of a ball.

Introduce the second moment tensor $M_{ij}={\int }_V{x}_i{x}_j{d}^{3}x$. The spherical shell is preserved by every rotation, so this is an isotropic tensor, $M_{ij}=A{\delta }_{ij}$. Its trace determines the constant:Contracting with the components of the two unit vectors givesThis is the second-order case of radial tensor moments in three dimensions.

For a Cartesian change of components $x_i^{\prime }=R_{ij}{x}_j$, a rank-$n$ tensor transforms according towith repeated indices summed. An isotropic tensor has unchanged components under every proper rotation matrix.

For rank two write $T^{\prime }=RT{R}^T$. Invariance under quarter-turns implies invariance under their squares, the coordinate half-turnsEach off-diagonal entry changes sign under at least one of these, so all off-diagonal entries vanish. A quarter-turn about the third axis then interchanges the first two diagonal entries, making them equal; a quarter-turn about the first axis equates the other two. ThereforeConversely $R(\lambda I)R^T=\lambda I$ for every rotation. This proves the isotropic second-rank tensor classification without assuming that the original tensor was symmetric. Also $\lambda =T_{kk}/3$ is a scalar, since the trace is rotation-invariant.

Use three components of the proposed isotropic tensor form. Since $T_{1122}=0$, one gets $\alpha =0$. Since $T_{1212}={ϵ}_{123}^2=1$, one gets $\beta =1$. Finally $T_{1221}={ϵ}_{123}{ϵ}_{213}=-1$ gives $\gamma =-1$. Hence contraction of two Levi-Civita symbols gives

Under an orthogonal matrix $R$, the Levi-Civita symbol satisfiesUse this twice, and use $R_{mc}{R}_{mf}={\delta }_{cf}$ for the contracted index. It follows thatTherefore $\boxed{T_{ijkl}^{\prime }=R_{ia}{R}_{jb}{R}_{kc}{R}_{ld}{T}_{abcd}=T_{ijkl}}$: it is a fourth-rank isotropic tensor. Although a single alternating symbol is a pseudotensor under reflections, the two determinant factors multiply to one, so this product is an ordinary tensor even for improper orthogonal transformations.

The integration domain is invariant under every rotation matrix, and its volume element is unchanged. The substitution $\mathbf{y}=R\mathbf{x}$ therefore provesThus $I$ is an isotropic tensor. It is also completely symmetric in its four indices, because the coordinate factors commute. In the general isotropic form, exchanging indices $j,k$ equates $\alpha$ and $\beta$, and exchanging $j,l$ equates $\alpha$ and $\gamma$. Therefore

Under a proper rotation matrix $R$, the product of coordinates transforms as a rank-$n$ tensor. The unit ball is unchanged by the substitution $\mathbf{y}=R\mathbf{x}$, whose Jacobian determinant is one. HenceThus $S$ is an isotropic tensor. An isotropic second-rank tensor has the form $S_{ij}=A{\delta }_{ij}$. Taking the trace and using spherical coordinates,Therefore the isotropic second moment of a ball isAn isotropic third-rank tensor has the form $B{ϵ}_{ijk}$, but $S_{ijk}$ is symmetric in every pair of indices, forcing $B=0$. Alternatively, $\mathbf{x}\mapsto -\mathbf{x}$ makes its integrand odd on the ball. Thus

For a rotation matrix $R\in SO(3)$, the Cartesian tensor component transformation law isAn isotropic tensor is unchanged under every such rotation, so its components satisfy $T_{ijkl}=R_{ia}{R}_{jb}{R}_{kc}{R}_{ld}{T}_{abcd}$ for every $R\in SO(3)$. The repeated indices are summed by the Einstein summation convention.

For a radial weight $F$ with the required absolutely integrable moments, rotational symmetry makes the second and fourth moments isotropic tensors. The second moment is $A{\delta }_{ij}$; its trace gives $3A=4\pi {\int }_0^{\infty }{r}^{4}F(r)dr$. Complete symmetry of the fourth moment forces equal coefficients of the three Kronecker delta pairings. Its double tensor contraction gives $15B=4\pi {\int }_0^{\infty }{r}^{6}F(r)dr$, proving the displayed expression. Odd moments vanish under $x\mapsto -x$. Choosing $F$ to be the indicator function of a spherical shell gives all the corresponding shell moments without separate angular integrations.