Advanced aspects: the Euclidean space as a Riemannian manifold

This tutorial introduces some vector calculus capabilities of SageMath within the 3-dimensional Euclidean space. The corresponding tools have been developed via the SageManifolds project.

The tutorial is also available as a Jupyter notebook, either passive (nbviewer) or interactive (binder).

The Euclidean 3-space

Let us consider the 3-dimensional Euclidean space \(\mathbb{E}^3\), with Cartesian coordinates \((x,y,z)\):

Sage

sage: E.<x,y,z> = EuclideanSpace()
sage: E
Euclidean space E^3

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> E = EuclideanSpace(names=('x', 'y', 'z',)); (x, y, z,) = E._first_ngens(3)
>>> E
Euclidean space E^3

\(\mathbb{E}^3\) is actually a Riemannian manifold (see pseudo_riemannian), i.e. a smooth real manifold endowed with a positive definite metric tensor:

Sage

sage: E.category()
Join of
 Category of smooth manifolds over Real Field with 53 bits of precision and
 Category of connected manifolds over Real Field with 53 bits of precision and
 Category of complete metric spaces
sage: E.base_field() is RR
True
sage: E.metric()
Riemannian metric g on the Euclidean space E^3

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> E.category()
Join of
 Category of smooth manifolds over Real Field with 53 bits of precision and
 Category of connected manifolds over Real Field with 53 bits of precision and
 Category of complete metric spaces
>>> E.base_field() is RR
True
>>> E.metric()
Riemannian metric g on the Euclidean space E^3

Actually RR is used here as a proxy for the real field (this should be replaced in the future, see the discussion at Issue #24456) and the 53 bits of precision play of course no role for the symbolic computations.

Let us introduce spherical and cylindrical coordinates on \(\mathbb{E}^3\):

Sage

sage: spherical.<r,th,ph> = E.spherical_coordinates()
sage: cylindrical.<rh,ph,z> = E.cylindrical_coordinates()

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> spherical = E.spherical_coordinates(names=('r', 'th', 'ph',)); (r, th, ph,) = spherical._first_ngens(3)
>>> cylindrical = E.cylindrical_coordinates(names=('rh', 'ph', 'z',)); (rh, ph, z,) = cylindrical._first_ngens(3)

The user atlas of \(\mathbb{E}^3\) has then three charts:

Sage

sage: E.atlas()
[Chart (E^3, (x, y, z)), Chart (E^3, (r, th, ph)), Chart (E^3, (rh, ph, z))]

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> E.atlas()
[Chart (E^3, (x, y, z)), Chart (E^3, (r, th, ph)), Chart (E^3, (rh, ph, z))]

while there are five vector frames defined on \(\mathbb{E}^3\):

Sage

sage: E.frames()
[Coordinate frame (E^3, (e_x,e_y,e_z)),
 Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂r,∂/∂th,∂/∂ph)),
 Vector frame (E^3, (e_r,e_th,e_ph)),
 Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂rh,∂/∂ph,∂/∂z)),
 Vector frame (E^3, (e_rh,e_ph,e_z))]

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> E.frames()
[Coordinate frame (E^3, (e_x,e_y,e_z)),
 Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂r,∂/∂th,∂/∂ph)),
 Vector frame (E^3, (e_r,e_th,e_ph)),
 Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂rh,∂/∂ph,∂/∂z)),
 Vector frame (E^3, (e_rh,e_ph,e_z))]

Indeed, there are two frames associated with each of the three coordinate systems: the coordinate frame (denoted with partial derivatives above) and an orthonormal frame (denoted by e_* above), but for Cartesian coordinates, both frames coincide.

We get the orthonormal spherical and cylindrical frames by:

Sage

sage: spherical_frame = E.spherical_frame()
sage: spherical_frame
Vector frame (E^3, (e_r,e_th,e_ph))
sage: cylindrical_frame = E.cylindrical_frame()
sage: cylindrical_frame
Vector frame (E^3, (e_rh,e_ph,e_z))

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> spherical_frame = E.spherical_frame()
>>> spherical_frame
Vector frame (E^3, (e_r,e_th,e_ph))
>>> cylindrical_frame = E.cylindrical_frame()
>>> cylindrical_frame
Vector frame (E^3, (e_rh,e_ph,e_z))

On the other side, the coordinate frames \(\left(\frac{\partial}{\partial r}, \frac{\partial}{\partial\theta}, \frac{\partial}{\partial \phi}\right)\) and \(\left(\frac{\partial}{\partial \rho}, \frac{\partial}{\partial\phi}, \frac{\partial}{\partial z}\right)\) are returned by the method frame() acting on the coordinate charts:

Sage

sage: spherical.frame()
Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂r,∂/∂th,∂/∂ph))
sage: cylindrical.frame()
Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂rh,∂/∂ph,∂/∂z))

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> spherical.frame()
Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂r,∂/∂th,∂/∂ph))
>>> cylindrical.frame()
Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂rh,∂/∂ph,∂/∂z))

Charts as maps \(\mathbb{E}^3 \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^3\)

The chart of Cartesian coordinates has been constructed at the declaration of E; let us denote it by cartesian:

Sage

sage: cartesian = E.cartesian_coordinates()
sage: cartesian
Chart (E^3, (x, y, z))

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> cartesian = E.cartesian_coordinates()
>>> cartesian
Chart (E^3, (x, y, z))

Let us consider a point \(p\in \mathbb{E}^3\), defined by its Cartesian coordinates:

Sage

sage: p = E((-1, 1,0), chart=cartesian, name='p')
sage: p
Point p on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: p.parent() is E
True

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> p = E((-Integer(1), Integer(1),Integer(0)), chart=cartesian, name='p')
>>> p
Point p on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> p.parent() is E
True

The coordinates of \(p\) in a given coordinate chart are obtained by letting the corresponding chart act on \(p\):

Sage

sage: cartesian(p)
(-1, 1, 0)
sage: spherical(p)
(sqrt(2), 1/2*pi, 3/4*pi)
sage: cylindrical(p)
(sqrt(2), 3/4*pi, 0)

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> cartesian(p)
(-1, 1, 0)
>>> spherical(p)
(sqrt(2), 1/2*pi, 3/4*pi)
>>> cylindrical(p)
(sqrt(2), 3/4*pi, 0)

Riemannian metric

The default metric tensor of \(\mathbb{E}^3\) is:

Sage

sage: g = E.metric()
sage: g
Riemannian metric g on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: g.display()
g = dx⊗dx + dy⊗dy + dz⊗dz
sage: g[:]
[1 0 0]
[0 1 0]
[0 0 1]

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> g = E.metric()
>>> g
Riemannian metric g on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> g.display()
g = dx⊗dx + dy⊗dy + dz⊗dz
>>> g[:]
[1 0 0]
[0 1 0]
[0 0 1]

The above display in performed in the default frame, which is the Cartesian one. Of course, we may ask for display with respect to other frames:

Sage

sage: g.display(spherical_frame)
g = e^r⊗e^r + e^th⊗e^th + e^ph⊗e^ph
sage: g[spherical_frame, :]
[1 0 0]
[0 1 0]
[0 0 1]

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> g.display(spherical_frame)
g = e^r⊗e^r + e^th⊗e^th + e^ph⊗e^ph
>>> g[spherical_frame, :]
[1 0 0]
[0 1 0]
[0 0 1]

In the above display, e^r = \(e^r\), e^th = \(e^\theta\) and e^ph = \(e^\phi\) are the 1-forms defining the coframe dual to the orthonormal spherical frame \((e_r,e_\theta,e_\phi)\):

Sage

sage: spherical_frame.coframe()
Coframe (E^3, (e^r,e^th,e^ph))

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> spherical_frame.coframe()
Coframe (E^3, (e^r,e^th,e^ph))

The fact that the above metric components are either 0 or 1 reflect the orthonormality of the vector frame \((e_r,e_\theta,e_\phi)\). On the contrary, in the coordinate frame \(\left(\frac{\partial}{\partial r}, \frac{\partial}{\partial\theta}, \frac{\partial}{\partial \phi}\right)\), which is not orthonormal, some components differ from 0 or 1:

Sage

sage: g.display(spherical.frame())
g = dr⊗dr + (x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dth⊗dth + (x^2 + y^2) dph⊗dph

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> g.display(spherical.frame())
g = dr⊗dr + (x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dth⊗dth + (x^2 + y^2) dph⊗dph

Note that the components are expressed in terms of the default chart, namely the Cartesian one. To have them displayed in terms of the spherical chart, we have to provide the latter as the second argument of the method display():

Sage

sage: g.display(spherical.frame(), spherical)
g = dr⊗dr + r^2 dth⊗dth + r^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> g.display(spherical.frame(), spherical)
g = dr⊗dr + r^2 dth⊗dth + r^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph

Since SageMath 8.8, a shortcut is:

Sage

sage: g.display(spherical)
g = dr⊗dr + r^2 dth⊗dth + r^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> g.display(spherical)
g = dr⊗dr + r^2 dth⊗dth + r^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph

The matrix view of the components is obtained via the square bracket operator:

Sage

sage: g[spherical.frame(), :, spherical]
[            1             0             0]
[            0           r^2             0]
[            0             0 r^2*sin(th)^2]

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> g[spherical.frame(), :, spherical]
[            1             0             0]
[            0           r^2             0]
[            0             0 r^2*sin(th)^2]

Similarly, for cylindrical coordinates, we have:

Sage

sage: g.display(cylindrical_frame)
g = e^rh⊗e^rh + e^ph⊗e^ph + e^z⊗e^z
sage: g.display(cylindrical)
g = drh⊗drh + rh^2 dph⊗dph + dz⊗dz
sage: g[cylindrical.frame(), :, cylindrical]
[   1    0    0]
[   0 rh^2    0]
[   0    0    1]

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> g.display(cylindrical_frame)
g = e^rh⊗e^rh + e^ph⊗e^ph + e^z⊗e^z
>>> g.display(cylindrical)
g = drh⊗drh + rh^2 dph⊗dph + dz⊗dz
>>> g[cylindrical.frame(), :, cylindrical]
[   1    0    0]
[   0 rh^2    0]
[   0    0    1]

The metric \(g\) is a flat: its Riemann curvature tensor (see riemann()) is zero:

Sage

sage: g.riemann()
Tensor field Riem(g) of type (1,3) on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: g.riemann().display()
Riem(g) = 0

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> g.riemann()
Tensor field Riem(g) of type (1,3) on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> g.riemann().display()
Riem(g) = 0

The metric \(g\) defines the dot product on \(\mathbb{E}^3\):

Sage

sage: u = E.vector_field(x*y, y*z, z*x)
sage: u.display()
x*y e_x + y*z e_y + x*z e_z
sage: v = E.vector_field(-y, x, z^2, name='v')
sage: v.display()
v = -y e_x + x e_y + z^2 e_z
sage: u.dot(v) == g(u,v)
True

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> u = E.vector_field(x*y, y*z, z*x)
>>> u.display()
x*y e_x + y*z e_y + x*z e_z
>>> v = E.vector_field(-y, x, z**Integer(2), name='v')
>>> v.display()
v = -y e_x + x e_y + z^2 e_z
>>> u.dot(v) == g(u,v)
True

Consequently:

Sage

sage: norm(u) == sqrt(g(u,u))
True

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> norm(u) == sqrt(g(u,u))
True

The Levi-Civita tensor

The scalar triple product of \(\mathbb{E}^3\) is provided by the Levi-Civita tensor (also called volume form) associated with \(g\) (and chosen such that \((e_x,e_y,e_z)\) is right-handed):

Sage

sage: epsilon = E.scalar_triple_product()
sage: epsilon
3-form epsilon on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: epsilon is E.volume_form()
True
sage: epsilon.display()
epsilon = dx∧dy∧dz
sage: epsilon.display(spherical)
epsilon = r^2*sin(th) dr∧dth∧dph
sage: epsilon.display(cylindrical)
epsilon = rh drh∧dph∧dz

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> epsilon = E.scalar_triple_product()
>>> epsilon
3-form epsilon on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> epsilon is E.volume_form()
True
>>> epsilon.display()
epsilon = dx∧dy∧dz
>>> epsilon.display(spherical)
epsilon = r^2*sin(th) dr∧dth∧dph
>>> epsilon.display(cylindrical)
epsilon = rh drh∧dph∧dz

Checking that all orthonormal frames introduced above are right-handed:

Sage

sage: ex, ey, ez = E.cartesian_frame()[:]
sage: epsilon(ex, ey, ez).display()
epsilon(e_x,e_y,e_z): E^3 → ℝ
   (x, y, z) ↦ 1
   (r, th, ph) ↦ 1
   (rh, ph, z) ↦ 1

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> ex, ey, ez = E.cartesian_frame()[:]
>>> epsilon(ex, ey, ez).display()
epsilon(e_x,e_y,e_z): E^3 → ℝ
   (x, y, z) ↦ 1
   (r, th, ph) ↦ 1
   (rh, ph, z) ↦ 1

Sage

sage: epsilon(*spherical_frame)
Scalar field epsilon(e_r,e_th,e_ph) on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: epsilon(*spherical_frame).display()
epsilon(e_r,e_th,e_ph): E^3 → ℝ
   (x, y, z) ↦ 1
   (r, th, ph) ↦ 1
   (rh, ph, z) ↦ 1

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> epsilon(*spherical_frame)
Scalar field epsilon(e_r,e_th,e_ph) on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> epsilon(*spherical_frame).display()
epsilon(e_r,e_th,e_ph): E^3 → ℝ
   (x, y, z) ↦ 1
   (r, th, ph) ↦ 1
   (rh, ph, z) ↦ 1

Sage

sage: epsilon(*cylindrical_frame).display()
epsilon(e_rh,e_ph,e_z): E^3 → ℝ
   (x, y, z) ↦ 1
   (r, th, ph) ↦ 1
   (rh, ph, z) ↦ 1

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> epsilon(*cylindrical_frame).display()
epsilon(e_rh,e_ph,e_z): E^3 → ℝ
   (x, y, z) ↦ 1
   (r, th, ph) ↦ 1
   (rh, ph, z) ↦ 1

Vector fields as derivations

Let \(f\) be a scalar field on \(\mathbb{E}^3\):

Sage

sage: f = E.scalar_field(x^2+y^2 - z^2, name='f')
sage: f.display()
f: E^3 → ℝ
   (x, y, z) ↦ x^2 + y^2 - z^2
   (r, th, ph) ↦ -2*r^2*cos(th)^2 + r^2
   (rh, ph, z) ↦ rh^2 - z^2

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> f = E.scalar_field(x**Integer(2)+y**Integer(2) - z**Integer(2), name='f')
>>> f.display()
f: E^3 → ℝ
   (x, y, z) ↦ x^2 + y^2 - z^2
   (r, th, ph) ↦ -2*r^2*cos(th)^2 + r^2
   (rh, ph, z) ↦ rh^2 - z^2

Vector fields act as derivations on scalar fields:

Sage

sage: v(f)
Scalar field v(f) on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: v(f).display()
v(f): E^3 → ℝ
   (x, y, z) ↦ -2*z^3
   (r, th, ph) ↦ -2*r^3*cos(th)^3
   (rh, ph, z) ↦ -2*z^3
sage: v(f) == v.dot(f.gradient())
True

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> v(f)
Scalar field v(f) on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> v(f).display()
v(f): E^3 → ℝ
   (x, y, z) ↦ -2*z^3
   (r, th, ph) ↦ -2*r^3*cos(th)^3
   (rh, ph, z) ↦ -2*z^3
>>> v(f) == v.dot(f.gradient())
True

Sage

sage: df = f.differential()
sage: df
1-form df on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: df.display()
df = 2*x dx + 2*y dy - 2*z dz
sage: v(f) == df(v)
True

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> df = f.differential()
>>> df
1-form df on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> df.display()
df = 2*x dx + 2*y dy - 2*z dz
>>> v(f) == df(v)
True

The algebra of scalar fields

The set \(C^\infty(\mathbb{E}^3)\) of all smooth scalar fields on \(\mathbb{E}^3\) forms a commutative algebra over \(\mathbb{R}\):

Sage

sage: CE = E.scalar_field_algebra()
sage: CE
Algebra of differentiable scalar fields on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: CE.category()
Join of Category of commutative algebras over Symbolic Ring and Category of homsets of topological spaces
sage: f in CE
True

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> CE = E.scalar_field_algebra()
>>> CE
Algebra of differentiable scalar fields on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> CE.category()
Join of Category of commutative algebras over Symbolic Ring and Category of homsets of topological spaces
>>> f in CE
True

In SageMath terminology, \(C^\infty(\mathbb{E}^3)\) is the parent of scalar fields:

Sage

sage: f.parent() is CE
True

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> f.parent() is CE
True

The free module of vector fields

The set \(\mathfrak{X}(\mathbb{E}^3)\) of all vector fields on \(\mathbb{E}^3\) is a free module of rank 3 over the commutative algebra \(C^\infty(\mathbb{E}^3)\):

Sage

sage: XE = v.parent()
sage: XE
Free module X(E^3) of vector fields on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: XE.category()
Category of finite dimensional modules over Algebra of differentiable
 scalar fields on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: XE.base_ring()
Algebra of differentiable scalar fields on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: XE.base_ring() is CE
True
sage: rank(XE)
3

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> XE = v.parent()
>>> XE
Free module X(E^3) of vector fields on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> XE.category()
Category of finite dimensional modules over Algebra of differentiable
 scalar fields on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> XE.base_ring()
Algebra of differentiable scalar fields on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> XE.base_ring() is CE
True
>>> rank(XE)
3

The bases of the free module \(\mathfrak{X}(\mathbb{E}^3)\) are nothing but the vector frames defined on \(\mathbb{E}^3\):

Sage

sage: XE.bases()
[Coordinate frame (E^3, (e_x,e_y,e_z)),
 Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂r,∂/∂th,∂/∂ph)),
 Vector frame (E^3, (e_r,e_th,e_ph)),
 Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂rh,∂/∂ph,∂/∂z)),
 Vector frame (E^3, (e_rh,e_ph,e_z))]

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> XE.bases()
[Coordinate frame (E^3, (e_x,e_y,e_z)),
 Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂r,∂/∂th,∂/∂ph)),
 Vector frame (E^3, (e_r,e_th,e_ph)),
 Coordinate frame (E^3, (∂/∂rh,∂/∂ph,∂/∂z)),
 Vector frame (E^3, (e_rh,e_ph,e_z))]

Tangent spaces

A vector field evaluated at a point $p$ is a vector in the tangent space \(T_p\mathbb{E}^3\):

Sage

sage: p
Point p on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: vp = v.at(p)
sage: vp
Vector v at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: vp.display()
v = -e_x - e_y

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> p
Point p on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> vp = v.at(p)
>>> vp
Vector v at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> vp.display()
v = -e_x - e_y

Sage

sage: Tp = vp.parent()
sage: Tp
Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3
sage: Tp is E.tangent_space(p)
True
sage: Tp.category()
Category of finite dimensional vector spaces over Symbolic Ring
sage: dim(Tp)
3
sage: isinstance(Tp, FiniteRankFreeModule)
True

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> Tp = vp.parent()
>>> Tp
Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3
>>> Tp is E.tangent_space(p)
True
>>> Tp.category()
Category of finite dimensional vector spaces over Symbolic Ring
>>> dim(Tp)
3
>>> isinstance(Tp, FiniteRankFreeModule)
True

The bases on \(T_p\mathbb{E}^3\) are inherited from the vector frames of \(\mathbb{E}^3\):

Sage

sage: Tp.bases()
[Basis (e_x,e_y,e_z) on the Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3,
 Basis (∂/∂r,∂/∂th,∂/∂ph) on the Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3,
 Basis (e_r,e_th,e_ph) on the Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3,
 Basis (∂/∂rh,∂/∂ph,∂/∂z) on the Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3,
 Basis (e_rh,e_ph,e_z) on the Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3]

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> Tp.bases()
[Basis (e_x,e_y,e_z) on the Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3,
 Basis (∂/∂r,∂/∂th,∂/∂ph) on the Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3,
 Basis (e_r,e_th,e_ph) on the Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3,
 Basis (∂/∂rh,∂/∂ph,∂/∂z) on the Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3,
 Basis (e_rh,e_ph,e_z) on the Tangent space at Point p on the Euclidean space E^3]

For instance, we have:

Sage

sage: spherical_frame.at(p)
Basis (e_r,e_th,e_ph) on the Tangent space at Point p on the
 Euclidean space E^3
sage: spherical_frame.at(p) in Tp.bases()
True

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> spherical_frame.at(p)
Basis (e_r,e_th,e_ph) on the Tangent space at Point p on the
 Euclidean space E^3
>>> spherical_frame.at(p) in Tp.bases()
True

Levi-Civita connection

The Levi-Civita connection associated to the Euclidean metric \(g\) is:

Sage

sage: nabla = g.connection()
sage: nabla
Levi-Civita connection nabla_g associated with the Riemannian metric g
 on the Euclidean space E^3

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> nabla = g.connection()
>>> nabla
Levi-Civita connection nabla_g associated with the Riemannian metric g
 on the Euclidean space E^3

The corresponding Christoffel symbols with respect to Cartesian coordinates are identically zero: none of them appear in the output of christoffel_symbols_display(), which by default displays only nonzero Christoffel symbols:

Sage

sage: g.christoffel_symbols_display(cartesian)

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> g.christoffel_symbols_display(cartesian)

On the contrary, some of the Christoffel symbols with respect to spherical coordinates differ from zero:

Sage

sage: g.christoffel_symbols_display(spherical)
Gam^r_th,th = -r
Gam^r_ph,ph = -r*sin(th)^2
Gam^th_r,th = 1/r
Gam^th_ph,ph = -cos(th)*sin(th)
Gam^ph_r,ph = 1/r
Gam^ph_th,ph = cos(th)/sin(th)

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> g.christoffel_symbols_display(spherical)
Gam^r_th,th = -r
Gam^r_ph,ph = -r*sin(th)^2
Gam^th_r,th = 1/r
Gam^th_ph,ph = -cos(th)*sin(th)
Gam^ph_r,ph = 1/r
Gam^ph_th,ph = cos(th)/sin(th)

By default, only nonzero and nonredundant values are displayed (for instance \(\Gamma^\phi_{\ \, \phi r}\) is skipped, since it can be deduced from \(\Gamma^\phi_{\ \, r \phi}\) by symmetry on the last two indices).

Similarly, the nonzero Christoffel symbols with respect to cylindrical coordinates are:

Sage

sage: g.christoffel_symbols_display(cylindrical)
Gam^rh_ph,ph = -rh
Gam^ph_rh,ph = 1/rh

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> g.christoffel_symbols_display(cylindrical)
Gam^rh_ph,ph = -rh
Gam^ph_rh,ph = 1/rh

The Christoffel symbols are nothing but the connection coefficients in the corresponding coordinate frame:

Sage

sage: nabla.display(cylindrical.frame(), cylindrical, only_nonredundant=True)
Gam^rh_ph,ph = -rh
Gam^ph_rh,ph = 1/rh

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> nabla.display(cylindrical.frame(), cylindrical, only_nonredundant=True)
Gam^rh_ph,ph = -rh
Gam^ph_rh,ph = 1/rh

The connection coefficients with respect to the orthonormal (non-coordinate) frames are (again only nonzero values are displayed):

Sage

sage: nabla.display(spherical_frame, spherical)
Gam^1_22 = -1/r
Gam^1_33 = -1/r
Gam^2_12 = 1/r
Gam^2_33 = -cos(th)/(r*sin(th))
Gam^3_13 = 1/r
Gam^3_23 = cos(th)/(r*sin(th))
sage: nabla.display(cylindrical_frame, cylindrical)
Gam^1_22 = -1/rh
Gam^2_12 = 1/rh

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> nabla.display(spherical_frame, spherical)
Gam^1_22 = -1/r
Gam^1_33 = -1/r
Gam^2_12 = 1/r
Gam^2_33 = -cos(th)/(r*sin(th))
Gam^3_13 = 1/r
Gam^3_23 = cos(th)/(r*sin(th))
>>> nabla.display(cylindrical_frame, cylindrical)
Gam^1_22 = -1/rh
Gam^2_12 = 1/rh

The Levi-Civita connection \(\nabla_g\) is the connection involved in the standard differential operators:

Sage

sage: from sage.manifolds.operators import *
sage: grad(f) == nabla(f).up(g)
True
sage: nabla(f) == grad(f).down(g)
True
sage: div(u) == nabla(u).trace()
True
sage: div(v) == nabla(v).trace()
True
sage: laplacian(f) == nabla(nabla(f).up(g)).trace()
True
sage: laplacian(u) == nabla(nabla(u).up(g)).trace(1,2)
True
sage: laplacian(v) == nabla(nabla(v).up(g)).trace(1,2)
True

Python

>>> from sage.all import *
>>> from sage.manifolds.operators import *
>>> grad(f) == nabla(f).up(g)
True
>>> nabla(f) == grad(f).down(g)
True
>>> div(u) == nabla(u).trace()
True
>>> div(v) == nabla(v).trace()
True
>>> laplacian(f) == nabla(nabla(f).up(g)).trace()
True
>>> laplacian(u) == nabla(nabla(u).up(g)).trace(Integer(1),Integer(2))
True
>>> laplacian(v) == nabla(nabla(v).up(g)).trace(Integer(1),Integer(2))
True