Smooth function between smooth manifolds

In summary, the conversation is about a continuous map, f, between smooth manifolds, M and N, of dimensions m and n respectively. The function f is defined as f*:C(N)->C(M) and it is assumed that f*(C^infty(N)) subset C^infty(M). The goal is to prove that f is smooth. The speaker's approach involves using two charts, (U,t) and (V,h), and showing that h o f o t^-1 is smooth on a specific domain. However, they are stuck and would appreciate assistance. They later make progress and prove a lemma, but then realize they made an error and are still stuck. They request help with proving another lemma.
  • #1
Palindrom
263
0
Hi.

I'm a bit stuck with that next question (and that's quite an understatement):

Let f:M->N be a continuous map, with M and N smooth manifolds of dimensions m,n correspondingly.

Define f*:C(N)->C(M) by f*(g)=g o f.

Assume now that f*(C^infty(N)) subset C^infty(M).

Then f is smooth.

My approach, given g in C^infty(N) and two charts (U,t), (V,h) on M and N corr., was to present:
(g o h^-1) o (h o f o t^-1)=g o f o t^-1
Knowing that g o f o t^-1 and g o h^-1 are smooth, I would like to conclude that h o f o t^-1 is smooth on t(U_intersection_f^-1(V)).

But I don't see any way to do that.
 
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  • #2
O.K., I've gotten a bit further: I'm only proving this lemma away from finishing;

Suppose f:M->N is a map between smooth manifolds, s.t. for every point p there is a nbd U of p, for which f|U (f restricted to U) is smooth. Then F is smooth.

I'd love to know if I'm right about the lemma, and a boost towards its proof would be nice.:)
 
  • #3
Oops, got a lot back- even though I've managed to prove the lemma, I realized I had made an error on the way, and so I'm still stuck.

My error was to assume that f|U kept the same property as f, regarding f^* (it may still be true, but I have no idea how to prove it).

Please help me. I'm going crazy.
 

FAQ: Smooth function between smooth manifolds

What is a smooth function between smooth manifolds?

A smooth function between smooth manifolds is a mapping between two smooth manifolds that preserves the smooth structure of the manifolds. This means that the function is differentiable and its derivative is also a smooth function.

How is a smooth function between smooth manifolds different from a regular function?

A regular function is defined on a set of real numbers, while a smooth function between smooth manifolds is defined on two smooth manifolds. The smooth function also preserves the smooth structure of the manifolds, while a regular function does not necessarily have this property.

What is the importance of smooth functions between smooth manifolds in mathematics?

Smooth functions between smooth manifolds play an important role in many areas of mathematics, such as differential geometry, topology, and physics. They allow us to study and understand the behavior of smooth objects in a more general and abstract way.

How are smooth functions between smooth manifolds related to smooth maps?

A smooth function between smooth manifolds is a type of smooth map, which is a general term for a mapping between smooth objects. However, a smooth function between smooth manifolds specifically preserves the smooth structure of the manifolds, while a smooth map can preserve different types of structures.

Are there any practical applications of smooth functions between smooth manifolds?

Yes, smooth functions between smooth manifolds have many practical applications. In physics, they are used to describe the behavior of smooth physical systems, such as fluid dynamics or the motion of particles in space. In engineering, they are used to model and analyze smooth systems, such as control systems or signal processing. They also have applications in computer graphics, where they are used to create smooth and realistic animations.

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