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The exterior derivative is an $\mathbb{R}$-linear map $d:{\Omega }^p(M)\to {\Omega }^{p+1}(M)$, agrees with the differential $df$ of a smooth function, satisfies the graded Leibniz rule $d(\alpha \wedge \beta )=d\alpha \wedge \beta +(-1{)}^p\alpha \wedge d\beta$ for $\alpha \in {\Omega }^p(M)$, and has $d^2=0$. These properties determine it locally and hence globally. To see locality directly, if a differential form $\alpha$ vanishes near $x$, choose a smooth bump function $\chi$ equal to one near $x$ and supported where $\alpha =0$. The identity $d(\chi \alpha )=d\chi \wedge \alpha +\chi d\alpha$ gives $(d\alpha {)}_x=0$. Thus global forms can be computed using local extensions in a manifold chart.

In coordinates write $\alpha ={\sum }_I{a}_{I}d{x}^{i_1}\wedge \cdots \wedge d{x}^{i_p}$. Since $d(d{x}^i)=d^2{x}^i=0$, the graded Leibniz rule forcesThis is the uniqueness of the exterior derivative from its axioms. The coordinate formula also establishes existence: it has the stated properties, and the chain rule shows that coordinate changes give the same operator.

The de Rham cohomology is the real quotient vector spaceThus a cohomology class records a closed differential form modulo an exact differential form. In degree zero there are no exact forms; closed functions are locally constant. The Poincaré lemma says that every closed form of positive degree on a star-shaped open subset of ${\mathbb{R}}^n$ is exact, and hence that positive-degree closed forms are locally exact on a smooth manifold.

For the first de Rham cohomology of the two-sphere, let $U=S^2\setminus \{N\}$ and $V=S^2\setminus \{S\}$. Stereographic projection identifies each with ${\mathbb{R}}^2$, so a closed one-form $\alpha$ has primitives $f_U,f_V$. On the connected overlap $U\cap V$, the derivative of $f_U-f_V$ is zero, so this difference is a constant. Subtracting that constant from $f_U$ makes the primitives agree. They glue to a global smooth primitive. Therefore $H_{\mathrm{dR}}^1(S^2)=0$.

Let $q:S^2\to {\mathbb{RP}}^2$ be the double covering map and $a$ the antipodal map. The pullback of a differential form identifies forms downstairs with $a$-invariant forms upstairs. Averaging $(\eta +a^{\ast }\eta )/2$ commutes with $d$. If an invariant form is exact upstairs, averaging its primitive proves it exact downstairs. Conversely an invariant cohomology class has an invariant representative by the same averaging. This proves the de Rham cohomology of a finite quotient identification $H_{\mathrm{dR}}^p({\mathbb{RP}}^2)\cong H_{\mathrm{dR}}^p(S^2{)}^{a^{\ast }}$. In degree zero the sphere is connected and $a^{\ast }$ fixes constants; degree one is zero; in degree two the granted action is multiplication by $-1$, whose invariant real subspace is zero. Forms of degree greater than two vanish. HenceThis is real de Rham cohomology; it does not detect the integral two-torsion of the real projective plane.

The Hamiltonian flow of $H$ solvesCompactness and the absence of a boundary make this smooth vector field complete, so the flow exists for all real $t$. The defining equation and Cartan's magic formula giveTherefore the pullback of a differential form differentiation rule yieldsso $({\varphi }_H^t{)}^{\ast }\omega =\omega$. Pullback commutes with the wedge product of differential forms, and consequentlyThus the flow preserves the symplectic volume, in fact the entire symplectic form.

The complex structure splits the complexified cotangent bundle into its $(1,0)$ and $(0,1)$ parts. Thus the space of smooth differential forms of type (p, q) isHere $\Gamma$ denotes smooth sections of a vector bundle; exterior multiplication identifies the displayed bundle with a subbundle of the complexified exterior algebra. In holomorphic coordinates, such a differential form of type (p, q) has the expressionwhere the coefficients are smooth and both multi-indices are increasing. Negative bidegrees, or bidegrees exceeding the complex dimension, give the zero space.

On a complex manifold, the exterior derivative has just two type components, $d=\partial +\bar{\partial }$. The conjugate Dolbeault operator and the Dolbeault operator are, respectively,Keeping the differentiating factor at the front fixes the signs. These definitions are intrinsic because holomorphic coordinate changes preserve type. The two operators are the type projections of the exterior derivative, raising $p$ and $q$, respectively.

For a holomorphic map $f:M\to N$, its differential is a complex-linear map, so the pullback of a differential form sends $(1,0)$ covectors to $(1,0)$ covectors and $(0,1)$ covectors to $(0,1)$ covectors. In coordinates $w$ on $N$,The pullback of a differential form commutes with the wedge product of differential forms, so it preserves the counts of these factors. ConsequentlyIt also commutes separately with the Dolbeault operator and the conjugate Dolbeault operator, because it commutes with $d$ and preserves type.

The assertion requires $p+q>0$. As printed, it also includes $(p,q)=(0,0)$, where the nonzero constant function $1$ is closed but cannot be the exterior derivative of a negative-degree form. The zero constant is harmless; below we prove the intended positive-degree result.

Set $k=p+q>0$, let ${\rho }_t(z)=tz$, and letThe polydisc is preserved by these dilations. The radial homotopy operator isHere ${\iota }_R$ is the interior product of a differential form. For a smooth $k$-form, its pulled-back contraction is $O(t^k)$, so the integral and its coefficient derivatives converge at zero. The identity for a pullback of a differential form along the radial flow and Cartan's magic formula giveIntegrating yields $dH\alpha +Hd\alpha =\alpha -{\rho }_0^{\ast }\alpha$. The final pullback vanishes in positive degree; since $d\alpha =0$, we have $dH\alpha =\alpha$.

Each ${\rho }_t$ is a holomorphic map, so its pullback of a differential form preserves bidegree. Contracting with the $(1,0)$ part of $R$ lowers $p$ by one, and contracting with its $(0,1)$ part lowers $q$ by one. Therefore the primitive has precisely the permitted types:This is a type-preserving refinement of the Poincaré lemma; when one index is zero, the corresponding negative-degree summand is simply absent.

Orient both spheres in the standard way and normalize their area forms to total area $4\pi$. The degree of a map between oriented manifolds can be obtained in two ways. For a regular value $y$, use the degree as a sum of local degrees:Each inverse image is isolated by the inverse function theorem, and compactness makes the set finite. The determinant is computed in consistently oriented local coordinates. A second method is spherical degree by area pullback:where the last formula represents $g$ as a unit vector in ${\mathbb{R}}^3$. The pullback of a differential form already contains the signed Jacobian determinant; no extra $\sin \theta$ is to be inserted in that last coordinate expression.

To relate the methods, replace $\omega$ by a smooth top-degree differential form with the same total integral supported in a small neighbourhood of a regular value. Two such top-degree forms with equal integral differ by an exact differential form on $S^2$, by its top-degree de Rham cohomology. Their pullbacks therefore have the same integral by Stokes theorem. Over the chosen neighbourhood, $g$ splits into local inverse branches; the change of variables formula makes the contribution of each branch its orientation sign times $4\pi$. Their sum is precisely the first formula. Thus the area integral is an integer and agrees with the signed inverse-image count.

For a nonconstant rational map, first use common-factor reduction of a rational map so $p$ and $q$ are coprime. Write $k=\max (\mathrm{deg}p,\mathrm{deg}q)$ for these reduced polynomials. A generic finite target value $w$ has inverse images at the roots of $p-wq$: avoiding exceptional values makes its degree $k$ and its roots simple. The fundamental theorem of algebra supplies $k$ roots. A holomorphic map has positive real Jacobian determinant $|R^{\prime }{|}^2$ at a regular point, so every local sign is $+1$. HenceThe source leaves coprimality implicit. In an unreduced representation the answer is $\max (\mathrm{deg}p,\mathrm{deg}q)-\mathrm{deg}\gcd (p,q)$, including degree zero for a constant reduced map. For example $(z^2-1)/(z-1)$ extends to $z+1$ and has degree one, although the unreduced maximum degree is two. Exceptional inverse images at infinity or multiple roots do not change the degree of a rational map of the Riemann sphere.

For the rational map approximation for Skyrmions, use stereographic projection $z=\tan (\theta /2)e^{i\phi }$ and the unit target vectorCombine this rational map with a radial profile to form a special unitary group field:where $\mathbf{\sigma }$ are the Pauli matrices. The endpoint values make $U(0)=-1$ independent of angle and $U(\infty )=1$. Appropriate radial behaviour gives an admissible finite-energy field configuration. With $L_i=U^{†}{\partial }_{i}U$, choose the topological baryon number in the Skyrme model conventionSeparating the radial and angular factors givesThus the degree of a rational map of the Riemann sphere supplies the Skyrmion charge.

In conventional dimensionless massless Skyrme model units, its static energy reduces towith the angular Jacobian of a rational mapThe Cauchy-Schwarz inequality gives $\mathcal{I}\ge k^2$. These formulas follow from the radial strain $|f^{\prime }|$ and the two equal angular strains $\sin f\sqrt{J_R}/r$: the quadratic energy sums their squares and the quartic Skyrme term sums their pairwise products of squares. Minimize the angular integral in the rational map approximation over degree-$k$ maps, then minimize the remaining radial energy with the stated endpoints. This replaces a three-dimensional field minimization by finitely many map coefficients and an ordinary differential equation for $f$.

The method constructs a charge-$k$ variational approximation, with topology built in and with rotational symmetry of a rational map translated into combined spatial and isospin rotations. It is efficient for identifying shapes and providing initial data for unrestricted numerical relaxation. Its restrictions are equally concrete: it uses one radial profile and a holomorphic angular map independent of radius, so it cannot represent arbitrary radial-angular correlations, separated clusters, or all deformations. Apart from the degree-one Skyrmion hedgehog ansatz, it generally does not solve the full field equation exactly. Massive-pion terms can be included in the radial functional but do not remove these restrictions, and multi-shell or unrestricted fields may be needed for larger charges. Approximate energy minima and a final collective-coordinate quantization are distinct steps.

Pullback of a differential form commutes with the exterior derivative, so $f^{\ast }$ gives a linear map on de Rham cohomology. Functoriality and $f\circ f=\mathrm{id}$ imply $(f^{\ast }{)}^2=I$. Over the real numbers, define the complementary projectionsThey obey $P_{\pm }^2=P_{\pm }$, $P_{+}{P}_{-}=0$ and $P_{+}+P_{-}=I$. Every cohomology class therefore decomposes asThe first term is fixed and the second negated by $f^{\ast }$. Their intersection is zero, since a class in both equals its own negative. ConsequentlyThis is the eigenspace decomposition of a linear involution. The factor $1/2$ uses the real coefficient field; a corresponding argument over characteristic two would fail. At the level of differential forms, the same averaging projections give representatives of either parity whenever the class has that parity.

Define the Lie derivative of a differential form by ${\mathcal{L}}_X\alpha =(d/dt{)}_{t=0}{\varphi }_t^{\ast }\alpha$, using the local flow. The pullback of a differential form respects the wedge product of differential forms and commutes with the exterior derivative. Therefore ${\mathcal{L}}_X$ is a derivation of an algebra of degree zero and commutes with $d$.

Let $D_X={\iota }_{X}d+d{\iota }_X$, where ${\iota }_X$ is the interior product of a differential form. The graded product rules for $d$ and ${\iota }_X$ show that their anticommutator $D_X$ is also a degree-zero derivation of an algebra: the two mixed terms cancel. Since $d^2=0$, it commutes with $d$. On a function $f$, ${\iota }_{X}f=0$ and $D_{X}f={\iota }_{X}df=Xf={\mathcal{L}}_{X}f$. Hence $D_X(df)=d(Xf)={\mathcal{L}}_X(df)$.

In a manifold chart, every differential form is a sum of functions times products $d{x}^{i_1}\wedge \cdots \wedge d{x}^{i_p}$. The two derivations agree on its generators $f$ and $d{x}^i$, and therefore agree on every such form. This proves Cartan's magic formula, including the case $p=0$:

The Jacobian determinant of ${\varphi }_t$ is $e^t$, while every coordinate and every coordinate differential is multiplied by $e^t$ under ${\psi }_t$. Hence the pullback of a differential form operation givesTo compare directly with Cartan's magic formula, note $d\mu =0$ and computeThe first two differentiated terms vanish because their coordinate differentials repeat; the last contributes $dz\wedge dx\wedge dy=\mu$. AlsoTheir sum is $2\alpha$, as required. Equivalently the divergence of $X$ relative to the standard volume form is one.

A symplectomorphism is a diffeomorphism, so it preserves the genus of a surface. It also preserves the orientation determined by the symplectic form and, by integration of a pullback of a differential form, preserves the symplectic area.

Conversely, equal genus of a surface gives a diffeomorphism $f:{\Sigma }_0\to {\Sigma }_1$. We can choose $f$ to preserve the orientations determined by ${\omega }_0,{\omega }_1$: if necessary, compose with an orientation-reversing diffeomorphism of the standard closed orientable surface of that genus of a surface, obtained by reflection of a symmetric handle model. On ${\Sigma }_0$ put $\eta =f^{\ast }{\omega }_1$. Both $\eta$ and ${\omega }_0$ are positive volume forms for the same orientation, and their integrals agree. By top-degree de Rham cohomology, $[\eta ]=[{\omega }_0]$.

The family ${\omega }_t=(1-t){\omega }_0+t\eta$ consists of positive volume forms, hence symplectic forms in dimension two, with constant de Rham cohomology class. Moser theorem supplies $\psi$ with ${\psi }^{\ast }\eta ={\omega }_0$. ConsequentlyTherefore the genus of a surface and symplectic area classify compact connected symplectic surfaces.

There is an orientation convention in this statement: the two volume forms must be positive for one fixed orientation, as is usual in Moser theorem for volume forms. Without that convention, the stated necessity is false. For example, on an oriented two-sphere, take a positive volume form ${\beta }_0$ and an orientation-reversing diffeomorphism $r$, and set ${\beta }_1=r^{\ast }{\beta }_0$. Then $(r^{-1}{)}^{\ast }{\beta }_1={\beta }_0$ but $\int {\beta }_1=-\int {\beta }_0$. We prove the intended result with a common orientation.

If ${\varphi }^{\ast }{\beta }_1={\beta }_0$, positivity forces $\varphi$ to preserve the orientation, and integration of the pullback of a differential form gives equality of the integrals.

For sufficiency, top-degree de Rham cohomology gives a differential form $\alpha$ of degree $n-1$ with ${\beta }_1-{\beta }_0=d\alpha$. Put ${\beta }_t=(1-t){\beta }_0+t{\beta }_1$. Positivity makes every ${\beta }_t$ a volume form. The interior product of a differential form gives an linear isomorphismThus there is a unique smooth time-dependent vector field $X_t$ satisfying ${\iota }_{X_t}{\beta }_t=-\alpha$. Since $M$ is compact, its local flow exists throughout $0\le t\le 1$ and defines a smooth isotopy ${\varphi }_t$ starting at the identity. By Cartan's magic formula, and since a top-degree differential form has zero exterior derivative,HenceThe zero-dimensional case, a single point, is immediate from equality of the integrals.

Let $\sigma (z)=\overline{z}$, componentwise complex conjugation. Interpret the printed $|z^2|$ in the potential as $|z{|}^2={\sum }_j|z_j{|}^2$. With $D=1+|z{|}^2$, the local Fubini-Study form isIts pullback of a differential form under $\sigma$ iswhere the last equality swaps $j,k$ and uses antisymmetry of the wedge product of differential forms. Since ${\sigma }^2=I$, it is an anti-symplectic involution, with fixed-point set ${\mathbb{R}}^n$. Part (c) gives

Take the usual convention that the smooth isotopy starts at ${\rho }_0=\mathrm{id}$. The exterior derivative commutes with a pullback of a differential form, soConsequentlyThe right-hand condition says precisely that ${\rho }_t$ is a symplectic isotopy.

Here an exact symplectic manifold is necessarily noncompact in positive dimension: if $\dim M=2n$ and $\omega =-d\lambda$, then ${\omega }^n=-d(\lambda \wedge {\omega }^{n-1})$, contradicting the positive symplectic volume and the Generalized Stokes theorem on a compact smooth manifold without boundary. Thus the paper's introductory word “closed” must here be read as “without boundary”, as its parenthesis suggests, rather than as including compactness.

Use the Hamiltonian vector field convention ${\iota }_{X_t}\omega =d{H}_t$, which is forced by the sign of the formula in this part. This is the opposite of the default sign in the linked general article. Since $d\lambda =-\omega$, Cartan's magic formula givesDifferentiate the pullback of a differential form along the smooth isotopy and integrate from $0$ to $t$:Thus the required exact differential form has the explicit primitive

Differentiating the assumed primitive identity and using Cartan's magic formula givesApply the pullback of a differential form by ${\rho }_t^{-1}$ and rearrange:This smooth family of Hamiltonian functions proves that ${\rho }_t$ is a Hamiltonian isotopy in the convention of part (b).

To connect this with the preceding assertion that every ${\rho }_t^{\ast }\lambda -\lambda$ is an exact differential form, the smooth choice of primitives causes no additional obstruction. Fix $p_0\in M$ and normalize $F_t(p_0)=0$. Define $F_t(p)$ by the line integral of ${\rho }_t^{\ast }\lambda -\lambda$ from $p_0$ to $p$. The fundamental theorem for line integrals makes this independent of the path. Near any $p$, use one fixed path to a nearby chart center followed by coordinate line segments; this expression is smooth jointly in $t,p$. Thus these normalized primitives form the required smooth family.

Use ${\mathbb{C}}^2$ with the standard symplectic form ${\omega }_0=d{x}_1\wedge d{y}_1+d{x}_2\wedge d{y}_2$ and the compatible almost complex structure given by multiplication by $i$. Consider the embedded submanifoldIn coordinates $(x_1,y_1,x_2,y_2)$, its tangent space is $W=\{(a,b,b,0):a,b\in \mathbb{R}\}$. Applying $J$ gives $J(a,b,b,0)=(-b,a,0,b)$. If this is again in $W$, its fourth coordinate forces $b=0$, and its second and third coordinates then force $a=0$. Thus $W\cap JW=0$ and ${\dim }_{\mathbb{R}}L=2$: $L$ is a totally real submanifold.

However, the pullback of a differential form under the parametrization isThus this totally real submanifold is not a Lagrangian submanifold.

The exterior derivative is the real-linear degree-one map $d:{\Omega }^r(M)\to {\Omega }^{r+1}(M)$ characterized by $df(X)=Xf$ on smooth functions, the graded Leibniz ruleand $d^2=0$. In local coordinates $(x^1,\dots ,x^m)$, write $\alpha ={\sum }_I{\alpha }_{I}d{x}^{i_1}\wedge \cdots \wedge d{x}^{i_r}$ using multi-index notation. Since $d{x}^i=d(x^i)$ and hence $d(d{x}^i)=0$, the defining rules forceThis proves local uniqueness, and the coordinate formulas agree on overlaps because the same rules are preserved by the pullback of a differential form. They also directly define an operator satisfying all three rules, proving existence.

An exact differential form is a form $\omega =d\eta$. Let $\pi :S^{2n}\to {\mathbb{RP}}^{2n}$ be the antipodal double covering map and let $a(x)=-x$. For a $2n$-form $\omega$ on real projective space, $a^{\ast }{\pi }^{\ast }\omega ={\pi }^{\ast }\omega$, while the mapping degree of the antipodal map is $-1$. ThereforeBy the stated criterion, ${\pi }^{\ast }\omega =d\eta$. The invariant primitive under a finite group actionstill satisfies $d\bar{\eta }={\pi }^{\ast }\omega$ and descends to a form $\beta$ on ${\mathbb{RP}}^{2n}$. Since pullback through a covering is injective on differential forms, ${\pi }^{\ast }(d\beta -\omega )=0$ implies $d\beta =\omega$. Thus every $2n$-form on ${\mathbb{RP}}^{2n}$ is exact; this is the top-degree differential forms on even-dimensional real projective space are exact result.

The $k$th de Rham cohomology isthe closed differential forms modulo the exact ones. For the product, let $p:M\times S^1\to M$ be projection and choose a closed one-form $\nu$ on the circle with ${\int }_{S^1}\nu =1$. Averaging differential forms over the circle is cochain-homotopic to the identity, so every class has a rotation-invariant representative; if such a representative is exact, averaging a primitive gives an invariant primitive. Every invariant $k$-form has a unique decomposition $p^{\ast }\alpha +p^{\ast }\beta \wedge \nu$, andClosedness and exactness are therefore componentwise. Hence the mapis a well-defined bijection $H_{\mathrm{dR}}^k(M)\oplus H_{\mathrm{dR}}^{k-1}(M)\to H_{\mathrm{dR}}^k(M\times S^1)$, proving the de Rham cohomology of a product with a circle formula.

A diffeomorphism $\varphi :M\to M$ is a smooth bijection with smooth inverse. It acts covariantly on a differential form by the pullback of a differential form:For vector fields $X_0,\dots ,X_p$,The coordinate definition of the exterior derivative, or its characterization as the unique natural graded derivation extending the differential of functions, gives

Every smooth closed differential form of positive degree is locally an exact differential form. On a coordinate ball centered at zero, put $F_t(x)=tx$ and let $R=x^i{\partial }_i$ be the radial vector field. Define the degree-lowering operatorFor a $p$-form with $p>0$, the integrand has a factor $t^{p-1}$ in its coordinate coefficients and is smooth at zero. Cartan's magic formula and differentiation of the pullback of a differential form give ${\partial }_t(F_t^{\ast }\alpha )=t^{-1}{F}_t^{\ast }(d{\iota }_R\alpha +{\iota }_{R}d\alpha )$. Integrating from zero to one gives $dK\alpha +Kd\alpha =\alpha$, since $F_0^{\ast }\alpha =0$ in positive degree. If $d\alpha =0$, take $\beta =K\alpha$. The local potential of a closed differential one-form gives the explicit degree-one construction. Global exactness can fail through nonzero periods, measured by de Rham cohomology.