Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2013 / iii / Paper 15 / 2

A Riemannian metric is a smooth field of positive-definite symmetric bilinear forms $g_x$ on the tangent spaces, equivalently a smooth section of ${\mathrm{Sym}}^2{T}^{\ast }M$ with that positivity. Its musical isomorphism isNondegeneracy makes every fiber map an isomorphism. In coordinates the map has matrix $g_{ij}$, and its inverse ${♯}_g$ has matrix $g^{ij}$. Smoothness of the inverse follows from the inverse-matrix formula and the nonvanishing determinant. Both maps cover the identity on $M$, giving a smooth vector bundle isomorphism.

For local flattening of a Riemannian metric, choose a manifold chart neighborhood $V$ around $p$ with closure contained in $U$, and let $h={\varphi }^{\ast }\delta$ on $V$. Choose a smooth bump function $0\le \chi \le 1$, with compact support in $V$ and equal to one on a smaller neighborhood $W$ of $p$. SetThe formulas glue smoothly because the modification is supported strictly inside $V$. A convex combination of positive-definite forms is positive definite. On $W$ the metric is exactly $h$, so $\varphi$ gives an isometry to a Euclidean open subset. Outside $U$ the original metric remains unchanged.

Geodesic completeness means that every geodesic with arbitrary initial point and tangent vector extends for every real affine parameter. On each connected component, the Hopf-Rinow theorem equates this with completeness of the Riemannian distance.

The Euclidean-end claim needs a compact-core interpretation that is absent from its literal hypotheses. Indeed, $M=\{x\in {\mathbb{R}}^n:|x|>1\}$ with $n\ge 2$, $X=\varnothing$ and $g=\delta$ satisfy those hypotheses. The geodesic $\gamma (t)=(2-t)e_1$ reaches the missing unit sphere at $t=1$ and cannot continue within $M$. Thus the printed assumptions alone do not prove completeness.

Here is the intended compact-core completeness for a Euclidean end. Write $\Phi :M\setminus X\to \{|x|>1\}$ for the end coordinates and assume additionally thatis compact for every sufficiently large $R$. Choose such an $R$ beyond the metric transition and large enough to include the initial point of a geodesic. Its speed $s$ is constant. On every segment outside $K_R$, the Euclidean radius changes at a rate at most $s$, so over a finite parameter interval it cannot exceed $R+sT$. The full segment therefore stays in the compact set $K_{R+sT}$. Its velocities also stay in a compact subset of $TM$, since their metric norm is fixed and the base set is compact. The smooth geodesic ordinary differential equation consequently extends past any supposed finite endpoint. The reversed-time argument is identical. This proves completeness under the compact-core condition, and explains exactly what the exterior-of-a-ball counterexample lacks.

For upward stability of Riemannian completeness, lengths of all curves satisfy $L_{\tilde{g}}\ge L_g$, hence $d_{\tilde{g}}\ge d_g$. A $d_{\tilde{g}}$-Cauchy sequence is therefore $d_g$-Cauchy and has a limit $p$ because $g$ is complete. Smooth positive-definite metrics induce the manifold topology. More explicitly, on a small coordinate ball around $p$, $\tilde{g}$ has a bounded largest matrix eigenvalue, so the coordinate straight segment gives $d_{\tilde{g}}(p,q)\le C|\varphi (q)-\varphi (p)|$. Thus convergence to $p$ is also in $d_{\tilde{g}}$. That distance is complete, and Hopf-Rinow yieldsFor disconnected $M$, apply this argument on each component.