Killing transport (${\nabla }_V{\xi }_a=L_{ab}{V}^b,{\nabla }_V{L}_{ab}=-R_{abc}{}^d{V}^c{\xi }_d$)

The Killing equation and the second covariant derivative of a Killing vector transport a Killing field and its antisymmetric derivative along any curve. Here $L_{ab}={\nabla }_b{\xi }_a$ and the curvature convention is the one in curvature-sign convention in Killing derivative identities. In a parallel frame the equations form a homogeneous linear system of ordinary differential equations. Initial value zero has unique zero continuation. Thus on a connected pseudo-Riemannian manifold, not just on a Riemannian manifold, the field is determined by its value and first derivative at one point.

On a connected $n$-dimensional pseudo-Riemannian manifold, evaluation of a Killing vector field and its first derivative is injective by Killing transport. The value has $n$ components and the Killing equation makes the derivative an antisymmetric two-tensor with $n(n-1)/2$ components. Their sum gives the bound. Flat metrics attain it through ${\xi }_a=A_a+B_{ab}{x}^b$ with $B_{ab}=-B_{ba}$. Connectedness is essential for a uniform global bound in terms of $n$: independent fields can be supported on different connected components.