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A local isometry here is a local diffeomorphism whose pullback metric is the source metric. Use the usual convention that a covering map is surjective. Assume the target is connected and the source is nonempty; this is the connected-manifold setting of the intended assertion. For a disconnected target the precise result is a covering of the union of target components met by the map. For example, inclusion $\mathbb{R}\hookrightarrow \mathbb{R}\bigsqcup \mathbb{R}$ is a local isometry from a complete manifold but is not a surjective covering of the whole target.

The correct Hopf-Rinow theorem says that on a connected finite-dimensional Riemannian manifold, completeness for the induced distance is equivalent to geodesic completeness, and to compactness of every closed bounded subset. These conditions imply that every two points are joined by a minimizing geodesic. The last property by itself does not imply completeness: an open Euclidean ball has minimizing segments between every pair but is incomplete.

A local isometry preserves the Levi-Civita connection, by uniqueness of the torsion-free metric connection on each local isometry chart. Hence it preserves affinely parametrized geodesics, andwhenever the source geodesic is defined. This is geodesic preservation by a local isometry.

Suppose $M$ is complete. Given $y\in N$, join $f(x)$ to $y$ by a minimizing target geodesic using target completeness. The source geodesic whose initial velocity is its inverse image under $d{f}_x$ exists for its full parameter interval by source completeness; its image is the target geodesic by uniqueness. Thus $f$ is onto.

Choose a normal ball $U={\exp }_y(B_r(0))$ with ${\exp }_y$ a diffeomorphism on $B_r(0)\subset T_{y}N$. For every $x\in f^{-1}(y)$ put $U_x={\exp }_x(B_r(0))$. Source completeness defines these exponential maps throughout the tangent balls. The displayed exponential identity makes $f:U_x\to U$ a diffeomorphism: injectivity follows from injectivity of the target exponential map, and differentiating the identity shows the source exponential has invertible derivative on the ball, so its image is open.

These sheets are disjoint. If $z$ lay in two, lift the reversed radial target geodesic from $f(z)$ to $y$, starting at $z$. Its initial velocity is uniquely fixed by $d{f}_z$; uniqueness of the source geodesic forces the two sheet centres to be equal. They exhaust $f^{-1}(U)$: for any point over $U$, lift that reversed radial geodesic using source completeness, obtaining a centre over $y$, and then reverse it. Thus $U$ is evenly covered. This proves the complete local isometry is a covering assertion.

Conversely suppose $f$ is a covering. Given any initial tangent vector in $M$, the corresponding target geodesic extends over all $\mathbb{R}$ by target completeness. The path lifting theorem for coverings lifts it over every compact time interval, with uniqueness gluing the lifts to a curve on $\mathbb{R}$. In local covering charts the lift is a geodesic, because the charts are local isometries. It extends the source initial-value geodesic. Therefore $M$ is geodesically complete, and Hopf-Rinow yields metric completeness on each source component. In the stated connected-target setting,

Use the nonnegative Hodge-Laplacian convention from Question 4. The Bochner-Weitzenbock formula for one-forms isHere $\nabla$ is the Levi-Civita connection induced on the cotangent bundle, and the rough Laplacian in a local orthonormal frame isIt is the composition of covariant derivative with its formal adjoint. The Ricci endomorphism is defined by $g({\mathrm{Ric}}^{♯}X,Y)=\mathrm{Ric}(X,Y)$ and acts on one-forms by $(\mathrm{Ric}\cdot \alpha )(X)=\alpha ({\mathrm{Ric}}^{♯}X)$. The musical isomorphism defines ${\alpha }^{♯}$ by $g({\alpha }^{♯},X)=\alpha (X)$. The associated scalar formula isThese signs make the integrated rough-Laplacian term $\Vert \nabla \alpha {\Vert }^2$ on a closed manifold.

For a connected manifold, the full Riemannian holonomy group at $p$ is the subgroup of $O(T_{p}M,g_p)$ consisting of parallel transports around all piecewise smooth loops based at $p$. Its natural action on $T_{p}M$ is the holonomy representation; it induces actions on cotangent spaces and all tensor spaces. The holonomy representation is an irreducible representation when it has no nonzero proper invariant subspace.

The fundamental principle of Riemannian holonomy identifies parallel tensor fields with tensors at $p$ fixed by full holonomy. A parallel field returns to its value under every loop. Conversely, transport a fixed tensor along a path from $p$ to each point. Any two paths differ by a loop, so the result is independent of the path; local smooth parallel transport yields a smooth parallel field. Evaluation and construction are inverse. Full holonomy, not merely the contractible-loop subgroup, is required for this global correspondence.

On a compact manifold without boundary and with nonnegative Ricci curvature, a harmonic one-form satisfies the integrated Bochner identityBoth terms are nonnegative; therefore $\nabla \alpha =0$. This proves that harmonic one-forms are parallel under nonnegative Ricci curvature. Integration uses the Riemannian volume density and does not require an orientation.

If $n=\dim M\ge 2$, a nonzero such form would give a nonzero fixed tangent vector via metric duality and hence a proper invariant line, contradicting irreducibility. This is precisely the irreducible holonomy in dimension at least two has no parallel one-form criterion. Since the question permits harmonic representatives of all classes, it gives $b_1(M)=0$, where $b_1$ is the first Betti number.

The covering $\pi :X\times T^k\to M$ is finite: its fibre over a point is a closed discrete subset of the compact total space and hence finite. Use the explicitly permitted equality of the Betti numbers of $M$ and its finite cover, in particular $b_1(X\times T^k)=b_1(M)=0$. This equality is a permission of this question, not a general theorem about finite covers.

The $k$ angular one-forms on $T^k$, pulled back to $X\times T^k$, represent linearly independent de Rham classes: their periods on the $k$ coordinate circles are the standard basis vectors. exact differential forms have zero periods. Thus $b_1(X\times T^k)\ge k$, forcing $k=0$. Now $\pi :X\to M$ is a finite universal covering map because $X$ is simply connected. The fundamental group acts freely and transitively on a fibre, or equivalently loop-lifting identifies its elements with the finite set of possible endpoints upstairs. Consequently the intended conclusion isThe printed statement needs the dimension qualification under the usual definition of irreducibility. Take the standard circle $M=S^1$, with $X$ a point, $k=1$, and the identity covering $X\times T^1\to S^1$. Its Ricci curvature is zero. parallel transport fixes its global unit tangent, so its holonomy representation is the trivial representation on a one-dimensional real vector space, which is irreducible. The allowed Betti-number equality holds for this identity cover, yetThus there is no proof of the unqualified literal assertion in dimension one. If “irreducible holonomy” is instead intended to exclude the one-dimensional trivial representation, the preceding intended proof applies. A connected zero-dimensional manifold is a point and has trivial fundamental group.

Use spatial indices $i,j=1,2,3$, set ${\varphi }_i={\partial }_i\varphi$, and assume $\varphi$ is smooth. The inverse metric has $g^{tt}=-c^{-2}{e}^{-2\varphi /c^2}$ and $g^{ij}={\delta }^{ij}$. The Christoffel symbols of the Levi-Civita connection follow from ${\Gamma }^{\alpha }{}_{\beta \gamma }=g^{\alpha \delta }({\partial }_{\beta }{g}_{\gamma \delta }+{\partial }_{\gamma }{g}_{\beta \delta }-{\partial }_{\delta }{g}_{\beta \gamma })/2$:All other components vanish. Although $g_{tt}=-c^2-2\varphi +O(c^{-2})$ diverges, its affine connection has a smooth limit on compact subsets:This is the Newtonian connection from an exponential lapse. It is torsion-free, and its geodesic equation, using $t$ as an affine parameter when $\dot{t}\ne 0$, is $d^2{x}^i/d{t}^2=-{\partial }_i\varphi$. Thus $\varphi$ has the role of a Newtonian gravitational potential. There is no finite limiting nondegenerate Lorentzian metric in these fixed coordinates; $-g(c)/c^2$ tends to $d{t}^2$, a rank-one tensor. The limiting connection preserves $dt$ and the contravariant spatial tensor with components $h^{ij}={\delta }^{ij}$, $h^{t\mu }=0$, which describe the degenerate temporal/spatial structures of this limit.

Put $u=t-z$, $\ell =du=e^0-e^3$, $p=A^{\prime }/A$, $q=B^{\prime }/B$, with primes denoting $d/du$. The exterior derivatives are $d{e}^0=d{e}^3=0$, $d{e}^1=p\ell \wedge e^1$, $d{e}^2=q\ell \wedge e^2$. For a Levi-Civita connection, the connection 1-forms obey both Cartan's first structure equation and metric compatibility. With lower indices ${\omega }_{ab}={\eta }_{ac}{\omega }^c{}_b$, the result isAll other lower-index forms vanish or follow from ${\omega }_{ab}=-{\omega }_{ba}$. Raising the first time index changes its sign: for example ${\omega }^0{}_1={\omega }^1{}_0=p{e}^1$, whereas ${\omega }^1{}_3=-p{e}^1$ and ${\omega }^3{}_1=p{e}^1$.

For direct verification, ${\omega }^1{}_0\wedge e^0+{\omega }^1{}_3\wedge e^3=-p\ell \wedge e^1=-d{e}^1$, and the same holds for index two. For indices zero and three each term wedges $e^1$ or $e^2$ with itself, so it is zero. These forms are metric-compatible, and uniqueness follows from the Existence and uniqueness of the Levi-Civita connection. The printed uniqueness statement implicitly includes metric compatibility: the torsion equation alone permits adding nonzero forms $C^a{}_{bc}{e}^c$ with $C^a{}_{bc}=C^a{}_{cb}$, since their wedge with $e^b$ vanishes.

Using the normalization of the timelike unit normal, the spatial projection tensor satisfiesLikewise $P^{\mu }{}_{\alpha }{n}^{\alpha }=0$ and $P^{\mu }{}_{\alpha }{P}^{\alpha }{}_{\nu }=P^{\mu }{}_{\nu }$. The spacetime form of the induced metric is thereforeIts restriction to the slice is the given three-metric. Metric compatibility of the four-dimensional Levi-Civita connection givesApply the three projectors defining the spatial covariant derivative. In the first summand $P^{\beta }{}_j{n}_{\beta }=0$, and in the second $P^{\alpha }{}_i{n}_{\alpha }=0$. Both summands vanish, soThis proves the metric compatibility of the spatial covariant derivative without treating the spatial projection tensor itself as covariantly constant.

Evaluate the metric inner products of the proposed orthonormal tetrad to first order in the vector cosmological perturbation:The orthonormal tetrad therefore has metric signature $(-,+,+,+)$ to the required order. Put $q=ϵ/a^2$ and $b=\mathbf{e}\cdot \mathbf{B}$. The photon momentum components areThey satisfy the null vector condition to first order, with $|\mathbf{e}|=1$.

Use $\eta$ as parameter in the time component of the geodesic equation:The derivative of the direction is first order, since the background photon moves on a straight comoving line; $B_{i}d{e}^i/d\eta$ is consequently second order. With $d\mathbf{x}/d\eta =\mathbf{e}+O(B)$,The supplied Levi-Civita connection coefficients giveThe spatial gradients and all background expansion terms cancel. Since ${ϵ}^{\prime }/ϵ$ vanishes in the background, its product with $b$ is also second order. The photon energy redshift from a vector metric perturbation is thereforeAn independent check uses the covariant component $p_0=g_{0\mu }{p}^{\mu }=-ϵ+O(B^2)$. The covariant geodesic equation gives $d{p}_0/d\eta =(2p^0{)}^{-1}{\partial }_{\eta }{g}_{\alpha \beta }{p}^{\alpha }{p}^{\beta }=ϵe^i{\dot{B}}_i$; the conformal expansion term vanishes by the null vector condition and reproduces the same result.

Use the energy of a curve normalizationFor a variation $F(s,t)$ put $T={\partial }_{t}F$ and $V={\partial }_{s}F$. The Levi-Civita connection is torsion free, so ${\nabla }_{s}T={\nabla }_{t}V$. Differentiating energy once gives $E^{\prime }=[⟨V,T⟩{]}_a^b-\int ⟨V,{\nabla }_{t}T⟩$. Along a geodesic, ${\nabla }_{t}T=0$. Differentiating again, commuting covariant derivatives, and integrating by parts gives the second variation of geodesic energy:The curvature convention is $R(X,Y)Z={\nabla }_X{\nabla }_{Y}Z-{\nabla }_Y{\nabla }_{X}Z-{\nabla }_{[X,Y]}Z$, consistent with the specified positive sectional curvature. Indeed ${\nabla }_s{\nabla }_{t}V={\nabla }_t{\nabla }_{s}V+R(V,T)V$, and $⟨R(V,T)V,T⟩=-⟨R(V,T)T,V⟩$. The endpoint term vanishes for fixed endpoints or for periodic variations of a closed geodesic. The integral is the Riemannian index form $I(V,V)$.

Let $\dim M=2m$. Parallel transport around the closed geodesic preserves the metric and orientation, so lies in the special orthogonal group. It fixes the nonzero tangent $T$, and its restriction to $T^{\perp }$ is an orientation-preserving orthogonal map of odd dimension $2m-1$. An odd-dimensional special orthogonal transformation has a fixed vector: nonreal eigenvalues occur in conjugate pairs, while an odd-dimensional real orthogonal map with determinant one must have an eigenvalue $+1$. Choose a nonzero fixed vector $v$ normal to $T$ and parallel-transport it along the curve. It gives a nonzero smooth periodic normal field $V$ with ${\nabla }_{t}V=0$.

For the exponential variation ${\gamma }_s(t)={\exp }_{\gamma (t)}(sV(t))$, the endpoints match periodically. Strictly positive sectional curvature givesThus $E({\gamma }_s)<E(\gamma )$ for small nonzero $s$. By the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality,where the final equality uses the geodesic's constant speed. This proves the instability of a closed geodesic in positive even-dimensional curvature.

For an embedded closed geodesic, sufficiently small variations remain embeddings, hence give a smooth isotopy with strictly shorter curves. For a nonembedded closed geodesic the construction gives a smooth deformation through immersions; an isotopy class of embeddings is not literally defined for such a curve. The stated isotopy conclusion therefore uses the usual embedded-curve interpretation, while the shorter-loop variation holds without it.

In Cartesian coordinates on Euclidean space, the Levi-Civita connection and the Riemann curvature tensor vanish. The second covariant derivative of a Killing vector therefore givesEvery first partial derivative is constant on the connected space ${\mathbb{R}}^n$. Integrating once more gives $K^{\nu }=A^{\nu }+M_{\mu }{}^{\nu }{x}^{\mu }$, with constant coefficients. The Killing equation now becomesThus the coefficient is an antisymmetric matrix. Conversely, any such constant coefficients satisfy the Killing equation. The complete Euclidean Killing vector field is thereforeThe $n$ translation parameters and $n(n-1)/2$ rotation parameters give $n(n+1)/2$ independent Killing vector fields.

Use the curvature convention $[{\nabla }_b,{\nabla }_c]V^d=R^d{}_{abc}{V}^a$, consistent with the coordinate formula later in the paper. Choose normal coordinates at an arbitrary point $p$. The Levi-Civita connection has ${\Gamma }^d{}_{ab}(p)=0$ and is torsion free, so ${\Gamma }^d{}_{ab}={\Gamma }^d{}_{ba}$. At $p$,Hence the cyclic sum isEach derivative cancels using symmetry of the two lower connection indices. Because the Riemann curvature tensor is antisymmetric in its last two indices, full antisymmetrization over $a,b,c$ equals one third of this cyclic sum. ThusThe statement is tensorial and $p$ was arbitrary, so it holds in all coordinates everywhere. This is the first Bianchi identity.

Put $h_{ab}=\delta g_{ab}$, $h=g^{ab}{h}_{ab}$, and $h^{ab}=g^{ac}{g}^{bd}{h}_{cd}$. Throughout this part use the Riemann curvature tensor convention printed in the paper. Varying $g^{ac}{g}_{cb}={\delta }^a{}_b$ gives the inverse-metric variation. The determinant identity $\delta \log |\det g|=g^{ab}{h}_{ab}$ gives the volume form variation. Together these areIn Lorentzian coordinates the latter reads $\delta \sqrt{-g}=\frac{1}{2}\sqrt{-g}h$.

For the connection, vary metric compatibility ${\nabla }_a{g}_{bc}=0$:Add the equations with derivatives $a,b$, subtract that with derivative $c$, and use symmetry of the lower indices of the Levi-Civita connection. This givesThe difference of two connections is a tensor, so this formula is covariant.

Varying the coordinate curvature formula yields the Palatini identityThe contractions of the connection variation areFinally, $\delta R=(\delta g^{ab})R_{ab}+g^{ab}\delta R_{ab}$ gives the metric variation of scalar curvature:The double divergence may equivalently be written ${\nabla }_a{\nabla }_b{h}^{ab}$: relabeling the contracted dummy indices and using symmetry of $h^{ab}$ gives the same expression. The derivative terms are a covariant divergence, useful when varying a curvature-dependent action.

For a slowly moving particle in the weak-field approximation, $dt/d\tau =1+O(\Phi ,v^2)$ and terms containing two spatial velocities may be neglected. The spatial geodesic equation reduces toFor $g_{00}=-(1+2\Phi )$, the Levi-Civita connection isHence the Newtonian limit of general relativity is

The Levi-Civita connection of a Riemannian manifold $(M,g)$ is the unique connection on a vector bundle on $TM$ that is torsion-free and compatible with the Riemannian metric. Any such connection must satisfy the Koszul formulaNondegeneracy of $g$ determines ${\nabla }_{X}Y$ uniquely from the right-hand side. Conversely, define $\nabla$ by this formula. Direct substitution shows that it is $C^{\infty }$-linear in $X$, satisfies the Leibniz rule in $Y$, preserves $g$, and obeys ${\nabla }_{X}Y-{\nabla }_{Y}X=[X,Y]$. It is therefore a torsion-free metric connection. This proves the Existence and uniqueness of the Levi-Civita connection.

For the metric vector bundle $E$, choose the stated orthonormal local frame $(e_1,\dots ,e_m)$ and write $d_A{e}_j=A^i{}_j{e}_i$. Since $⟨e_i,e_j⟩={\delta }_{ij}$, metric compatibility givesHence the connection matrix in an orthonormal frame is skew-symmetric:

On an oriented Riemannian $d$-manifold, the Hodge star operator is defined byIt is an orthogonal map $\ast :{\Lambda }^r{T}_x^{\ast }M\to {\Lambda }^{d-r}{T}_x^{\ast }M$ and satisfies ${\ast }^2=(-1{)}^{r(d-r)}$. In dimension $d=2n$ on middle-degree forms, the Adjoint of the Hodge star on middle-degree forms isThus it is self-adjoint when $n$ is even, but it is not always self-adjoint. For $n=1$ on the oriented Euclidean plane,so its matrix in the orthonormal basis $(dx,dy)$ is skew-adjoint.

The Laplace-Beltrami operator on differential forms is the Hodge Laplacianwhere the codifferential $\delta$ is the formal $L^2$ adjoint of the exterior derivative. On a compact manifold without boundary, if $\Delta \omega =\lambda \omega$ for a nonzero differential form $\omega$, then integration by parts givesTherefore the nonnegativity of the Hodge Laplacian yields

Substitution of $\delta x^a=ϵ{\psi }^a$ and $\delta {\psi }^a=-iϵ{\dot{x}}^a$ into the covariant component action leaves a total time derivative; the connection-dependent terms cancel by metric compatibility and the symmetry of the Levi-Civita connection. The boundary term vanishes for the stated decay. The Noether charge isup to the overall convention inherited from the supersymmetry parameter. Its graded square gives the Hamiltonian, $\{Q,Q\}=2H$ after canonical quantization.

For the torsion-free Levi-Civita connection, cyclically summing the displayed coordinate expression and using ${\Gamma }^a{}_{bc}={\Gamma }^a{}_{cb}$ gives the algebraic first Bianchi identityApply the Jacobi identity to three covariant-derivative commutators, or differentiate the coordinate formula in normal coordinates. The third-derivative terms and the derivatives of quadratic connection terms cancel cyclically, giving the differential second Bianchi identityContracting the first and third curvature indices and then contracting once more yieldsor the contracted Bianchi identity

For the metric variation $h_{ab}=\delta g_{ab}$,while the two double-divergence terms in the supplied metric variation of scalar curvature become a boundary term after integration by parts for tensor fields. The Einstein-Hilbert action therefore contributes $G_{ab}+\Lambda g_{ab}$. Varying the Proca action with respect to the metric gives the Proca stress-energy tensor, and the full Einstein-Proca theory equation is

Since $\delta F_{ab}=2{\nabla }_{[a}\delta A_{b]}$, variation with respect to $A_b$ and one integration by parts give the covariant Proca equationTaking its covariant divergence givesbecause the resulting contractions pair the symmetric Ricci tensor with the antisymmetric electromagnetic field tensor. Since $m\ne 0$, the Lorenz constraint in Proca theory follows:Moreover, $F=dA$ and $d^2=0$, so the Electromagnetic Bianchi identity is

Finally, use that identity to differentiate the matter tensor. The result groups naturally asBoth terms vanish by the Proca equation and its Lorenz constraint in Proca theory. Thus ${\nabla }^a{T}_{ab}=0$, exactly as required by the contracted Bianchi identity applied to the Einstein field equations. The vector equation is therefore consistent with the gravitational equation.

Let $D$ be the Levi-Civita connection of $h$. Apply $(D_c{D}_d-D_d{D}_c)$ to a tangent vector, replace each $D$ by the tangential projection of $\nabla$, and decompose $\nabla n$ using $K_{ab}$. Comparison with the intrinsic Riemann curvature tensor gives the Gauss equationChanging the sign convention for $K_{ab}$ does not alter these quadratic terms.

Because the Levi-Civita connection is torsion-free, its Christoffel symbols satisfy ${\Gamma }_{\rho \alpha }^{\mu }={\Gamma }_{\alpha \rho }^{\mu }$. Substitute the stated coordinate expression for each term in the cyclic sumThe partial-derivative terms cancel pairwise by the lower-index symmetry of $\Gamma$, and the quadratic terms cancel after relabelling their dummy indices. Thereforewhich is the first Bianchi identity.

The coordinate vector fields on the parameter surface commute, so their pushforwards satisfyBecause the Levi-Civita connection is torsion free, part (i) then givesEvery $t$-curve is an affinely parametrized geodesic, hence ${\nabla }_{T}T=0$. Applying the definition of the Riemann curvature tensor,Therefore the connecting vector is a Jacobi field and obeys the geodesic deviation equation

The coordinate expression for the Lie bracket of vector fields isFor the Levi-Civita connection,The final term vanishes because the Christoffel symbols are symmetric in $\mu ,\nu$ while the vector product in parentheses is antisymmetric. Hence

The Levi-Civita connection is a torsion-free connection. Its torsion form isSince $T=0$,In coordinates this is the symmetry ${\Gamma }_{jk}^i={\Gamma }_{kj}^i$ of the Christoffel symbols.

The Levi-Civita connection is also a metric connection, soand similarly for the two cyclic permutations. Add the identities with leading derivatives $u$ and $v$, subtract the one with leading derivative $w$, and useCancellation and symmetry of $g$ giveThis is the Koszul formula written with the bracket terms on the right.