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The degree of a map between oriented manifolds measures how many times the domain covers the target, with signs recording the local local orientation of a manifold. Let $M,N$ be connected, oriented closed manifolds of the same dimension $n>0$. A continuous map $f:M\to N$ acts on top-dimensional homology bywhere $[M],[N]$ are their fundamental classes. Connectedness and the choices of local orientation of a manifold identify $H_n(N;\mathbb{Z})$ with $\mathbb{Z}$. Reversing the orientation of either manifold changes the sign; reversing both does not.

For a smooth map, Sard theorem supplies a regular value $y$. Its inverse image is discrete and, by compactness, finite. At each $x\in f^{-1}(y)$ the differential is an isomorphism; let its sign be $+1$ or $-1$ according to whether it preserves or reverses the chosen local orientations. The degree as a sum of local degrees isThe sign is computed in oriented manifold charts. The value is independent of the chosen regular value, even when inverse images appear or disappear: the signed count is the coefficient of $[N]$ in $f_{\ast }[M]$.

There is a useful local-density expression for the same topological degree. If $\omega$ is a volume form with ${\int }_N\omega =1$, thenThis degree by integration of a pullback volume form follows first by choosing a smooth top-form supported in a small neighborhood of a regular value, where the inverse branches contribute their orientation signs. Any other normalized top-form differs from it by an exact form: integration identifies $H_{\mathrm{dR}}^n(N)$ with $\mathbb{R}$. The integral of its pullback difference vanishes by Stokes theorem. In particular, for any top-form $\eta$, ${\int }_M{f}^{\ast }\eta =\mathrm{deg}(f){\int }_N\eta$.

A homotopy $H:M\times [0,1]\to N$ preserves this integral, since $d\omega =0$ and Stokes theorem givesThus topological degree is a homotopy invariant. It is multiplicative under composition, because the induced maps on homology compose: $\mathrm{deg}(g\circ f)=\mathrm{deg}(g)\mathrm{deg}(f)$. The identity has degree one, a constant map has degree zero for $n>0$, and an orientation-reversing diffeomorphism has degree minus one. An orientation-preserving finite covering map has degree equal to its number of sheets. Nonzero topological degree forces surjectivity, since an omitted point would be a regular value with an empty inverse image.

For the circle, $e^{i\theta }\mapsto e^{ik\theta }$ has degree $k$, positive or negative. This is its winding number, computable as $(2\pi i{)}^{-1}\int f^{-1}df$. The antipodal map of $S^n$ has degree $(-1{)}^{n+1}$: its extension $-I$ on the ambient $(n+1)$-dimensional vector space has that determinant sign and respects the outward-normal convention. A holomorphic map $z\mapsto z^k$, $k\ge 1$, on the Riemann sphere has degree $k$, whereas its complex conjugate has degree $-k$. These examples show how orientation, rather than simply the number of inverse images, determines the integer.

For maps $S^n\to S^n$, topological degree gives the complete homotopy classification ${\pi }_n(S^n)\cong \mathbb{Z}$. The degree does not classify general manifold maps: the identity of the torus and the map induced by the integer matrix $\left(\begin{array}{cc}1& 1\\ 0& 1\end{array}\right)$ both have degree one, but have different induced maps on $H_1(T^2;\mathbb{Z})$ and so are not homotopic. A nonzero-degree map $S^n\to S^n$ cannot extend continuously to $B^{n+1}$, because such an extension would make the boundary map null-homotopic. In the smooth setting, Stokes theorem gives the same obstruction by applying it to the pulled-back normalized volume form.

The hypotheses can be adjusted, but must be stated. For connected oriented noncompact manifolds, a proper map has a degree defined using compactly supported top-forms, and it is invariant under proper homotopies. For manifolds with boundary one uses relative fundamental classes and maps of pairs, or fixes appropriate boundary conditions. Without an integral orientation one can still count inverse images modulo two, obtaining a mod-two degree. The integer integral formula used below assumes the oriented setting.

In classical field theory, these ideas turn continuous fields into quantized topological charges. Suppose a field on ${\mathbb{R}}^d$ approaches one fixed target value at spatial infinity. The one-point compactification makes it a map $\varphi :S^d\to \mathcal{V}$. When the target $\mathcal{V}$ is an oriented closed $d$-manifold, its topological degree labels topological sectors. More generally the sectors are described by homotopy groups; an integer degree is available only when the domain and target have the appropriate dimensions and orientations. Smooth time evolution preserving the boundary condition is a homotopy, so it cannot change the integer. A change requires a singular field, escape from the allowed target, or a change at the boundary.

A normalized closed target $d$-form gives the pullback-volume representation of a topological current. On spacetime, put $\alpha ={\varphi }^{\ast }\omega$. Since $d\alpha ={\varphi }^{\ast }(d\omega )=0$, its dual current is identically conserved, andis independent of time when there is no flux at infinity. This conservation law follows from geometry without using the field equations; it need not arise from a continuous symmetry through Noether theorem.

A concrete example is the O3 nonlinear sigma model in two spatial dimensions. Its unit-vector field $\mathbf{n}$ approaches a constant at infinity, defining $S^2\to S^2$. The normalized area form of the target gives the degree charge of an O3 sigma-model lump:For the energy normalization $E=\frac{1}{2}\int (|{\partial }_1\mathbf{n}{|}^2+|{\partial }_2\mathbf{n}{|}^2)$, the identities $\mathbf{n}\cdot {\partial }_i\mathbf{n}=0$ giveThis is the Bogomolny degree bound for the O3 sigma model. Choosing the sign appropriate to $Q$ makes the square nonnegative; vanishing of the square gives first-order Bogomolny equations and a sigma-model lump saturating the bound. With the oriented stereographic projectionthe maps $w=z^k$ have $Q=k$ and $E=4\pi k$. Their conjugates have $Q=-k$ with the same energy. Holomorphic rational maps have positive degree equal to their degree as rational maps; taking a reciprocal does not reverse the orientation. Antiholomorphic dependence reverses it.

The Skyrme model supplies a three-dimensional example. A field $U:{\mathbb{R}}^3\to \mathrm{SU}(2)$ with $U\to I$ at infinity is a map $S^3\to \mathrm{SU}(2)\cong S^3$. Take $T_i=-i{\tau }_i$ and $U^{-1}dU={\theta }^i{T}_i$, with ${\theta }^1\wedge {\theta }^2\wedge {\theta }^3$ positive. Since $\mathrm{tr}(T_i{T}_j{T}_k)=-2{ϵ}_{ijk}$, the normalized target volume form isThe integral is one on the unit three-sphere. Consequently the Skyrme baryon number as a mapping degree isThis is the topological baryon number in the Skyrme model; the sign has been fixed by the stated orientation and anti-Hermitian generator convention.

A topological charge alone does not guarantee a stable finite-size solution. The degree and energetic stability of a field configuration concern different properties. For a three-dimensional configuration of size $R$, the two-derivative energy scales as $R$, so it can decrease by shrinking while the topological degree remains fixed for every $R>0$. The limit can be singular. The Skyrme term, with four derivatives, scales as $R^{-1}$ and can balance the shrinking tendency. This is the role of Derrick theorem in distinguishing topological obstruction from energetic stability.

For defects, the relevant boundary map can instead be the sphere surrounding a core. A vacuum manifold equal to $S^1$ gives the integer winding number of a vortex; a vacuum manifold $S^2$ gives the degree of a surrounding $S^2$ for a magnetic monopole. This vacuum-boundary degree as a defect charge obstructs extending the normalized vacuum field through the enclosed ball. A nonzero integer therefore forces the field to leave the vacuum manifold somewhere in the core. This construction does not require the field to take one constant value in every direction at infinity.

Degree also appears in four-dimensional gauge theory through a boundary transition function. For an anti-Hermitian SU(2) gauge connection on ${\mathbb{R}}^4$, write $F=dA+A\wedge A$ and assume finite-action boundary behavior $A\to g^{-1}dg$ on the large bounding three-sphere. In the second-Chern conventionthe identity $d\mathrm{tr}(A\wedge dA+\frac{2}{3}{A}^3)=\mathrm{tr}(F\wedge F)$ and the Maurer-Cartan equation giveThis boundary winding representation of Yang-Mills topological charge relates the Second Chern number to the degree of $g:S^3\to \mathrm{SU}(2)$. The Chern-Simons 3-form turns the bulk integral into the boundary winding integral. Conventions which define the instanton number with the opposite trace sign reverse $k$; the integer quantization is unchanged. A Yang-Mills theta term weights a sector by $e^{i\vartheta k}$, giving periodicity $\vartheta \mapsto \vartheta +2\pi$. Thus the same topological degree that counts oriented inverse images also labels field sectors and expresses their quantized charges as integrals of local densities.

The curl is constant:Orient the spanning planar disk by the unit normal $\mathbf{n}=(a,b,c)$ and orient its boundary by the right-hand rule, equivalently counterclockwise when viewed from the side towards which $\mathbf{n}$ points. Stokes theorem converts the line integral to a constant flux integral through a disk of area $\pi R^2$. With this orientationReversing the orientation changes the sign. The centre of the circle does not enter because the curl is constant.

Symmetry of the derivative matrix means ${\partial }_i{F}_j={\partial }_j{F}_i$. Contracting this symmetric pair with the antisymmetric Levi-Civita symbol givesEvery circle bounds its planar disk, and the vector field is smooth on all of ${\mathbb{R}}^3$, including that disk. Stokes theorem therefore gives for either orientationThe global domain is essential to this argument; the same local symmetry condition on a domain with a hole need not make every closed-curve line integral vanish.

Set $s=x^2+y^2>0$. The first two components of the curl vanish since the horizontal components are independent of $z$ and the last component depends only on $z$. For the third,so this is a curl-free vector field everywhere in its domain:Choose the orientation in which the projection onto the $xy$-plane runs counterclockwise, and parametrizeOn this curve the horizontal contribution is $(-\sin t,\cos t)\cdot (-\sin t,\cos t)dt=dt$, while the vertical contribution is $zdz=d(z^2/2)$. Its integral over a closed curve is zero. Thereforewith $-2\pi$ for the opposite orientation. This does not contradict Stokes theorem: the planar disk spanning this curve meets the excluded $z$-axis at $(0,0,200)$, where the vector field is undefined. The horizontal one-form is the angular differential and records one winding about that axis; thus this curl-free vector field has no single-valued global potential of a conservative vector field on its domain.

In cylindrical coordinates, the transverse velocity is $A{\mathbf{e}}_{\theta }/r$, so its contribution to the circulation is $Ad\theta$. The vertical contribution is $U(z)dz$, the differential of an antiderivative of $U$, and therefore has zero integral around any closed curve. If $k$ is the oriented winding number of the curve's projection about the origin, thenIn particular, a single positive winding gives $2\pi A$; reversing orientation reverses the sign. The nonzero circulation is compatible with irrotational flow because the domain is not simply connected. For $A\ne 0$, an enclosing curve cannot bound a surface contained entirely in the domain to which Stokes theorem would apply.

In SI units the Ampère-Maxwell equation is $\nabla \times \mathbf{B}={\mu }_0\mathbf{J}+{\mu }_0{\epsilon }_0{\partial }_t\mathbf{E}$. Since $\mathbf{E}=0$, the displacement-current term vanishes and $\nabla \times \mathbf{B}={\mu }_0\mathbf{J}$. Apply Stokes theorem to an oriented surface $S$ with positively oriented boundary $C$:Hence the integral form of Ampère's law isHere ${\mu }_0$ is vacuum magnetic permeability, $\mathbf{J}$ is current density, and positive enclosed electric current is defined by the orientation of $S$.

Fix a reference path ${\gamma }_{\ast }$ from $L_0$ to $L_1$. By path connectedness, a path $\gamma$ can be joined to it by a smooth homotopy strip $u:[0,1{]}_s\times [0,1{]}_t\to M$ withSmooth homotopies may be used by the relative smoothing theorem; piecewise smooth homotopies give the same integrals. Orient the square by $ds\wedge dt$ and define the Lagrangian path-area functional byHere $\mathcal{A}$ denotes the functional called $A$ in the question. The minus sign is the convention for which downward gradient flow is $J$-holomorphic on the standard oriented strip.

For relative symplectic-area independence, glue two choices, with one orientation reversed, along their common reference and final paths. The resulting oriented surface is a relative $2$-cycle $Z$ in $(M,L_0\cup L_1)$. Since $H_2(M,L_0\cup L_1)=0$, it bounds a relative $3$-chain: as an absolute chain, $Z=\partial B+C$ for a chain $C$ supported in $L_0\cup L_1$. The symplectic form is closed, and it restricts to zero on each Lagrangian submanifold. Using piecewise smooth relative chains, Stokes theorem givesEquivalently, integration of the closed symplectic form defines the zero pairing on the zero relative homology group. The two strips therefore define the same value of $\mathcal{A}$.

Choosing a different reference path changes every value by the negative area of one fixed connecting strip, independent of $\gamma$. Changing the initially assigned reference value also adds a constant. Path connectedness ensures that this is one global constant, rather than an independent constant on each component.

For the first variation, let $\xi (t)$ be a variation vector field along $\gamma$, with $\xi (0)\in T_{\gamma (0)}{L}_0$ and $\xi (1)\in T_{\gamma (1)}{L}_1$. Differentiate the defining strip integral. Stokes theorem, or the variation formula for the integral of a closed differential form, reduces it to the final edge; the side edges give zero because their variations and tangent vectors lie in the Lagrangian submanifolds. With the chosen sign,If this vanishes for every admissible $\xi$, it in particular vanishes for every field supported in $(0,1)$. Nondegeneracy of the symplectic form, together with the fundamental lemma of the calculus of variations, forces $\dot{\gamma }(t)=0$ in the interior and hence everywhere by smoothness. Conversely, a constant path makes the displayed integral zero. The constant must lie in both endpoint submanifolds. ThusNo transverse-intersection assumption is required; the critical set can be empty or have positive dimension.

A compatible almost complex structure is a smooth bundle map $J:TM\to TM$ such thatThese conditions makea Riemannian metric. Its symmetry follows from the $J$-invariance and skew symmetry of $\omega$, and its positivity is the final compatibility condition. It also satisfies $g(Jv,w)=\omega (v,w)$.

Use the formal $L^2$ metric on the path space,The variation formula becomesThus a formal downward flow $s\mapsto u(s,\cdot )$ satisfiesPut the standard complex structure $j$ on the strip, with $j{\partial }_s={\partial }_t$. The J-holomorphic curve equation $du\circ j=J\circ du$ says $u_t=J{u}_s$, which is equivalent to the displayed flow equation because $J^2=-I$. The converse is identical: a smooth J-holomorphic curve on the strip with the specified Lagrangian boundary conditions gives a formal downward trajectory of $\mathcal{A}$.

As a sign check, along such a strip,The drop in $\mathcal{A}$ therefore equals the positive symplectic area swept out by the strip. The word formal matters: the $L^2$ calculation gives the interior equation and its Lagrangian boundary conditions; it does not assert that arbitrary smooth initial paths produce a well-posed ordinary flow on the smooth path space. In particular, the expression $J\dot{\gamma }$ need not satisfy the endpoint tangent restrictions for an arbitrary initial path. The claimed correspondence concerns smooth solutions of the strip equation.

Use the mostly-plus Minkowski metric, with the last spatial coordinate singled out:Then $2d{x}^{+}d{x}^{-}=(d{x}^{D-1}{)}^2-(d{x}^0{)}^2$, as required. In these light-cone coordinates, ${\partial }^{+}={\partial }_{-}$, ${\partial }^{-}={\partial }_{+}$ and ${\square }_D=2{\partial }_{+}{\partial }_{-}+{\partial }_I{\partial }_I$.

Introduce the Kalb-Ramond field strengthThe field equation is ${\partial }^p{H}_{pmn}=0$. Under $\delta B_{mn}={\partial }_m{\alpha }_n-{\partial }_n{\alpha }_m$, every second-derivative contribution to $\delta H$ cancels by commutation of derivatives. Thus $H$ and its equation are gauge-invariant. This is the differential-form identity $d^2=0$ for the two-form gauge field $B$.

To impose light-cone gauge for a two-form, first choose ${\alpha }_{-}=0$ andThis sets $B_{-m}$ to zero. A residual transformation preserving the gauge obeys ${\partial }_{-}{\alpha }_m={\partial }_m{\alpha }_{-}$. With $\chi ={\partial }_{-}^{-1}{\alpha }_{-}$, this implies ${\alpha }_m={\partial }_m\chi$, including $m=-$. Such a parameter changes $B$ by zero. Therefore no nontrivial gauge transformation of $B$ remains in the sector where ${\partial }_{-}$ is invertible. There is still a redundant description of the gauge parameter itself, $\alpha \mapsto \alpha +d\chi$; the excluded ${\partial }_{-}$ zero modes would require separate treatment.

The $(-,n)$ field equations now say ${\partial }_{-}{\partial }^p{B}_{np}=0$, hence ${\partial }^p{B}_{np}=0$. For $n=I$ this givesFor $n=+$, ${\partial }^I{B}_{+I}=0$ follows automatically from antisymmetry of $B_{IJ}$. Therefore the independent components and their equation areThe remaining equations follow from this wave equation and the reconstructed longitudinal components.

At the first massless level of the closed bosonic string, states ${\alpha }_{-1}^I{\tilde{\alpha }}_{-1}^J|p⟩$ carry a product of two transverse vector polarizations. Its symmetric traceless, antisymmetric and trace parts are respectively the graviton, the Kalb–Ramond field and the dilaton. The antisymmetric part has exactly the polarization count just found.

The gauge-invariant string coupling to a two-form uses the pullback of the background Kalb–Ramond field to the string worldsheet:Its variation is $q{\int }_{\Sigma }d(X^{\ast }\alpha )=q{\int }_{\partial \Sigma }{X}^{\ast }\alpha$, by Stokes theorem. It vanishes on a closed worldsheet. For a cylindrical propagation surface it is only an initial/final boundary term, handled by fixed-boundary gauge parameters or the corresponding transformation of external states. Thus the closed string is naturally charged under a two-form gauge field.

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.

Choose an origin near the bounded loop and write ${\mathbf{r}}^{\prime }$ for the source position. The magnetic vector potential and its far-field multipole expansion arewith the loop held fixed as $r=|\mathbf{r}|\to \infty$. The first term integrates to zero since $C$ is closed. Define its oriented vector area byThe second equality is Stokes theorem, applied componentwise to any oriented spanning surface. In particular the vector area is independent of the choice of spanning surface. From ${\oint }_{C}d(r_i^{\prime }{r}_j^{\prime })=0$, the matrix ${\oint }_C{r}_i^{\prime }d{r}_j^{\prime }$ is antisymmetric, which gives ${\oint }_C(\mathbf{r}\cdot {\mathbf{r}}^{\prime })d{\mathbf{r}}^{\prime }=\mathbf{S}\times \mathbf{r}$. HenceThe orientation follows the current by the right-hand rule. For $r\ne 0$, taking the curl of this leading magnetic vector potential gives the magnetic dipole fieldFor a planar loop, $\mathbf{S}$ is the signed area times the unit normal vector. For a nonplanar loop it is the oriented vector area, rather than the scalar area of an arbitrarily chosen surface.

Use $G=c=1$, the Einstein field equations with zero cosmological constant, and metric signature $(-,+,+,+)$. Write $m=m_{a}d{x}^a$ for the differential one-form dual to the axial Killing vector field. To fix the sign of the volume formula, use the component Hodge star operator convention $(\star j{)}_{abc}={ϵ}_{abcd}{j}^d$ and $(\star F{)}_{ab}=\frac{1}{2}{ϵ}_{abcd}{F}^{cd}$. The Killing equation gives $(dm{)}_{ab}=2{\nabla }_a{m}_b$, and its contracted curvature identity givesTo see the curvature step, tracing the Killing equation gives ${\nabla }_b{m}^b=0$. The second covariant derivative of a Killing vector then gives ${\nabla }^b{\nabla }_b{m}_a=-R_{ab}{m}^b$, while commuting the covariant derivatives gives ${\nabla }^b{\nabla }_a{m}_b=R_{ab}{m}^b$. Subtracting these two terms is precisely ${\nabla }^b(dm{)}_{ab}$ above. The component Hodge star operator converts this divergence to $d\star dm$ with the displayed minus sign.

In a vacuum spacetime region $R_{ab}=0$, so $d\star dm=0$. If $S_1$ and $S_2$ are enclosing spacelike submanifolds in the same homology class bounding a vacuum three-dimensional region $W$, Stokes theorem yieldsThus the Komar angular momentum is independent of the enclosing vacuum spacelike two-manifold, provided the surfaces have the same orientation and enclose the same sources and inner boundaries. The vacuum region need not be stationary: an axial Killing vector field suffices.

For a regular filling hypersurface $\Sigma$ with $\partial \Sigma =S$, the Einstein field equations giveThe pullback of $\star m$ to $\Sigma$ vanishes because $m^a$ is tangent to $\Sigma$: the dual three-form measures the normal component, which is zero. ThereforeThis is the stress-energy current from a Killing vector integrated over the slice, with the signs fixed by the stated Hodge star operator convention.

There is a necessary boundary qualification omitted from the printed formulation. If the slice has inner boundaries $S_i$, orient them so $\partial \Sigma =S-{\bigcup }_i{S}_i$. The actual Komar angular momentum with inner boundaries identity isFor a vacuum Kerr black hole, $T_{ab}=0$ on the exterior slice but $J\ne 0$; its horizon supplies precisely the inner boundary contribution. Thus the matter-only formula is false for arbitrary exterior slices. It is valid when a nonsingular filling with no inner boundaries exists, or when all omitted inner charges vanish. The Komar angular momentum independence likewise concerns homologous surfaces in the same vacuum region, not an unrestricted comparison of differently enclosed objects.

The Stokes theorem stateswhere the boundary orientation is induced by the chosen normal through the right-hand rule.

For $\mathbf{F}=(y^{2}z,xz+2xyz,0)$,and its divergence is $(-1-2y)+2y+1=0$, verifying $\nabla \cdot (\nabla \times \mathbf{F})=0$.

Orient the paraboloid $z=3-x^2-y^2$, $1\le x^2+y^2\le 4$, upward and the planar annulus $z=-1$ downward. Their outer boundary orientations cancel. The remaining boundary is the unit circle at $z=-1$ counterclockwise and the unit circle at $z=2$ clockwise, viewed from above. On a unit circle at height $z_0$, direct parametrization givesHence the boundary integral is $-\pi -2\pi =-3\pi$.

On the lower annulus, $(\nabla \times \mathbf{F})\cdot (0,0,-1)=1$, giving $3\pi$. On the paraboloid, $d\mathbf{S}=(2x,2y,1)dxdy$, so the flux integrand isThe odd terms integrate to zero over the annulus, while the rest integrates to $-6\pi$. The total surface integral is $3\pi -6\pi =-3\pi$, equal to the boundary integral.

For degree zero, compactness and the maximum modulus principle make holomorphic functions constant on each connected component. For degree two, a holomorphic differential form is $\bar{\partial }$-closed and its $\partial$ derivative has type $(3,0)$, which vanishes on a complex surface. Degrees above two have no nonzero holomorphic forms. It remains to treat a holomorphic differential form $\alpha$ of degree one.

Set $\beta =d\alpha =\partial \alpha$. Its coefficients are holomorphic, so $\beta$ is a holomorphic differential form of degree two, hence closed by the degree-two observation. Its conjugate is closed too. The Stokes theorem givesThe integrand is nonnegative in the complex orientation. In local coordinates, if $\beta =b(z)d{z}_1\wedge d{z}_2$ with $z_j=x_j+i{y}_j$, thenIt is strictly positive wherever $\beta$ is nonzero. Its zero integral therefore forces $\beta =0$ everywhere. Thus holomorphic forms on a compact complex surface are closed, even when the surface is not Kähler:

Use the intended positive-mass family: write $b=r_{+}>0$ and $a=r_{-}=2P^2/b\ge 0$, so $R^2=r(r-a)$, $V=1-b/r$ and $ab=2P^2$. Lowering the index of the Killing vector field gives $k^{♭}=-Vdt$, henceFor the stipulated orientation and Lorentzian signature, $\sqrt{-g}=R^2\sin \theta$ and the Hodge star operator obeysThe minus sign follows from $g^{tt}{g}^{rr}=-1$. Thus the Komar mass of the magnetic dilaton black hole isIts asymptotic mass is $M=r_{+}/2$.

For any Killing vector field, its antisymmetric derivative satisfies ${\nabla }_a(d{k}^{♭}{)}^{ab}=-2R^b{}_c{k}^c$. Applying Stokes theorem between two spheres relates the difference of their Komar mass to this Ricci source. It vanishes in vacuum but need not vanish for the nonzero Ricci tensor of Einstein-Maxwell-dilaton theory. Here, explicitly, $d{M}_{\mathrm{Komar}}/dr=P^2/r^2$. The potential $A=P\cos \theta d\phi$ is only a local gauge potential near the polar axes; the mass computation uses its globally defined field strength and the metric, so does not depend on this gauge-patch issue.

For complex solutions of the Klein-Gordon equation, define the currentIts divergence isbecause $\square \beta =m^2\beta$ and $\square \overline{\alpha }=m^2\overline{\alpha }$ for real $m^2$. The Klein-Gordon inner product is the flux ${\int }_{\Sigma }{n}_a{j}^{a}d\Sigma$. Applying Stokes theorem to a slab between two Cauchy hypersurfaces gives equality of the fluxes, with the future normal on each surface and opposite boundary orientations.

For noncompact surfaces this requires the integrals to converge and no net flux through spatial infinity, for example spacelike compact support or suitable decay. Global hyperbolicity alone does not ensure convergence for arbitrary solutions. Under these conditions,Complex conjugation also givesThus it is a Hermitian form, antilinear in its first argument and linear in its second. It is indefinite on the full complex solution space; positivity will arise only on a chosen positive-frequency solution subspace.

Using the Levi-Civita symbol and the epsilon-delta identity,ThereforeOne particularly simple vector potential for $u$ isDirect differentiation gives $\nabla \cdot A=0$ and $\nabla \times A=(y^2,z^2,x^2)=u$.

Parametrize the curved cone byThe outward oriented surface element isSubstitution and integration over $0\le z\le h$, $0\le \phi <2\pi$ give

Because $\nabla \cdot u=0$, the divergence theorem predicts that the two outward fluxes sum to zero. On the top disk $S_2$, $d\mathbf{S}=(0,0,1)dxdy$ and $u_z=x^2$, so, with $R=h\tan \alpha$,as predicted.

The outward orientation on $S_2$ induces the stated anticlockwise orientation on $C$, whereas the outward orientation on $S_1$ induces the reverse orientation. Since $u=\nabla \times A$, Stokes theorem predictsOn $C$, put $(x,y,z)=(R\cos \phi ,R\sin \phi ,h)$. Thenverifying both identities.