Definition of manifolds with boundary

In summary, a manifold with boundary is a topological space that locally resembles Euclidean space near each point, but allows for the presence of edges or boundaries. Formally, each point in a manifold with boundary has a neighborhood that is homeomorphic to either an open set in Euclidean space or a set that includes a half-space. This structure enables the study of geometric and analytical properties while accommodating points that lie on the boundary, distinguishing them from points in the interior.
  • #1
PhysicsRock
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TL;DR Summary
Why do we define manifolds with boundary differently from the topological definition of the boundary?
In differential geometry, we typically define the boundary ##\partial M## of a manifold ##M## as all ##p \in M## for which there exists a chart ##(U,\varphi), p \in U## such that ##\varphi(p) \in \partial\mathbb{H}^n := \{ x \in \mathbb{R}^n : x^n = 0 \}##. Consequently, we also demand that ##M## is locally homeomorphic to ##\mathbb{H}^n := \{ x \in \mathbb{R}^n : x^n \geq 0 \}##, instead of ##\mathbb{R}^n## as in the (usually) previously encountered definitions of topological manifolds.

For such topological manifolds, the boundary is typically defined to be the closure of ##M## without it's interior, i.e. ##\partial M_{top} = \bar{M} \setminus \mathring{M}##. Perhaps I'm missing something, but theoretically I don't see any restrictions in this definition that would demand that boundary points are to be mapped onto the boundary of ##\mathbb{H}^n##.

My question is, why do we make that alteration?
 
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  • #2
PhysicsRock said:
theoretically I don't see any restrictions in this definition that would demand that boundary points are to be mapped onto the boundary of Hn.
There is a big difference between needing to be mapped like that and there existing a chart where it is.
 
  • #3
Orodruin said:
There is a big difference between needing to be mapped like that and there existing a chart where it is.

Orodruin said:
There is a big difference between needing to be mapped like that and there existing a chart where it is.
The way I understand it is that if a point ##p \in M## lies within a chart ##(U,\varphi)## and ##\varphi(p) \in \partial\mathbb{H}^n## then ##p## is considered to be a boundary point. The set of all such ##p## is then called the boundary of ##M##.

However, what I don't understand is why we alter the definition from that of the boundary of topological spaces, as given here.
 
  • #4
PhysicsRock said:
However, what I don't understand is why we alter the definition from that of the boundary of topological spaces, as given here.
It doesn't, really. It should be clear that ##\partial \mathbb H## is the boundary of ##\mathbb H## and the chart is a homeomorphism.
 

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