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mathematics Mathematics is an area of knowledge that includes the topics of numbers, formulas and related structures, shapes and the spaces in which they are contained, and quantities and their changes. These topics are represented in modern mathematics ...
, the Bianchi classification provides a list of all real 3-dimensional
Lie algebra In mathematics, a Lie algebra (pronounced ) is a vector space \mathfrak g together with an Binary operation, operation called the Lie bracket, an Alternating multilinear map, alternating bilinear map \mathfrak g \times \mathfrak g \rightarrow ...
s (
up to Two Mathematical object, mathematical objects ''a'' and ''b'' are called equal up to an equivalence relation ''R'' * if ''a'' and ''b'' are related by ''R'', that is, * if ''aRb'' holds, that is, * if the equivalence classes of ''a'' and ''b'' wi ...
isomorphism In mathematics, an isomorphism is a structure-preserving mapping between two structures of the same type that can be reversed by an inverse mapping. Two mathematical structures are isomorphic if an isomorphism exists between them. The word is ...
). The classification contains 11 classes, 9 of which contain a single Lie algebra and two of which contain a continuum-sized family of Lie algebras. (Sometimes two of the groups are included in the infinite families, giving 9 instead of 11 classes.) The classification is important in geometry and physics, because the associated
Lie group In mathematics, a Lie group (pronounced ) is a group that is also a differentiable manifold. A manifold is a space that locally resembles Euclidean space, whereas groups define the abstract concept of a binary operation along with the additio ...
s serve as symmetry groups of 3-dimensional
Riemannian manifold In differential geometry, a Riemannian manifold or Riemannian space , so called after the German mathematician Bernhard Riemann, is a real manifold, real, smooth manifold ''M'' equipped with a positive-definite Inner product space, inner product ...
s. It is named for
Luigi Bianchi Luigi Bianchi (18 January 1856 – 6 June 1928) was an Italians, Italian mathematician. He was born in Parma, Emilia-Romagna, and died in Pisa. He was a leading member of the vigorous Italian school of algebraic geometry, geometric school which fl ...
, who worked it out in 1898. The term "Bianchi classification" is also used for similar classifications in other dimensions and for classifications of
complex Lie algebra In mathematics, a complex Lie algebra is a Lie algebra over the complex numbers. Given a complex Lie algebra \mathfrak, its conjugate \overline is a complex Lie algebra with the same underlying real vector space but with i = \sqrt acting as -i inst ...
s.


Classification in dimension less than 3

* Dimension 0: The only Lie algebra is the
abelian Lie algebra In mathematics, a Lie algebra (pronounced ) is a vector space \mathfrak g together with an operation called the Lie bracket, an alternating bilinear map \mathfrak g \times \mathfrak g \rightarrow \mathfrak g, that satisfies the Jacobi ident ...
R0. * Dimension 1: The only Lie algebra is the abelian Lie algebra R1, with
outer automorphism group In mathematics, the outer automorphism group of a group, , is the quotient, , where is the automorphism group of and ) is the subgroup consisting of inner automorphisms. The outer automorphism group is usually denoted . If is trivial and has a t ...
the multiplicative group of non-zero real numbers. * Dimension 2: There are two Lie algebras: ** (1) The abelian Lie algebra R2, with outer automorphism group GL2(R). ** (2) The
solvable Lie algebra In mathematics, a Lie algebra \mathfrak is solvable if its derived series terminates in the zero subalgebra. The ''derived Lie algebra'' of the Lie algebra \mathfrak is the subalgebra of \mathfrak, denoted : mathfrak,\mathfrak/math> that consist ...
of 2×2 upper triangular matrices of trace 0. It has trivial center and trivial outer automorphism group. The
associated Associated may refer to: *Associated, former name of Avon, Contra Costa County, California * Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto, a school in Canada *Associated Newspapers, former name of DMG Media, a British publishing company See also *Associati ...
simply connected In topology, a topological space is called simply connected (or 1-connected, or 1-simply connected) if it is path-connected and every path between two points can be continuously transformed (intuitively for embedded spaces, staying within the spac ...
Lie group In mathematics, a Lie group (pronounced ) is a group that is also a differentiable manifold. A manifold is a space that locally resembles Euclidean space, whereas groups define the abstract concept of a binary operation along with the additio ...
is the
affine group In mathematics, the affine group or general affine group of any affine space over a field is the group of all invertible affine transformations from the space into itself. It is a Lie group if is the real or complex field or quaternions. Relat ...
of the line.


Classification in dimension 3

All the 3-dimensional Lie algebras other than types VIII and IX can be constructed as a
semidirect product In mathematics, specifically in group theory, the concept of a semidirect product is a generalization of a direct product. There are two closely related concepts of semidirect product: * an ''inner'' semidirect product is a particular way in w ...
of R2 and R, with R acting on R2 by some 2 by 2 matrix ''M''. The different types correspond to different types of matrices ''M'', as described below. *Type I: This is the abelian and unimodular Lie algebra R3. The simply connected group has center R3 and outer automorphism group GL3(R). This is the case when ''M'' is 0. *Type II: The
Heisenberg algebra In mathematics, the Heisenberg group H, named after Werner Heisenberg, is the group of 3×3 upper triangular matrices of the form ::\begin 1 & a & c\\ 0 & 1 & b\\ 0 & 0 & 1\\ \end under the operation of matrix multiplication. Elements '' ...
, which is
nilpotent In mathematics, an element x of a ring R is called nilpotent if there exists some positive integer n, called the index (or sometimes the degree), such that x^n=0. The term was introduced by Benjamin Peirce in the context of his work on the class ...
and unimodular. The simply connected group has center R and outer automorphism group GL2(R). This is the case when ''M'' is nilpotent but not 0 (eigenvalues all 0). *Type III: This algebra is a product of R and the 2-dimensional non-abelian Lie algebra. (It is a limiting case of type VI, where one eigenvalue becomes zero.) It is solvable and not unimodular. The simply connected group has center R and outer automorphism group the group of non-zero real numbers. The matrix ''M'' has one zero and one non-zero eigenvalue. *Type IV: The algebra generated by 'y'',''z''= 0, 'x'',''y''= ''y'', 'x'', ''z''= ''y'' + ''z''. It is solvable and not unimodular. The simply connected group has trivial center and outer automorphism group the product of the reals and a group of order 2. The matrix ''M'' has two equal non-zero eigenvalues, but is not
diagonalizable In linear algebra, a square matrix A is called diagonalizable or non-defective if it is similar to a diagonal matrix, i.e., if there exists an invertible matrix P and a diagonal matrix D such that or equivalently (Such D are not unique.) F ...
. *Type V: 'y'',''z''= 0, 'x'',''y''= ''y'', 'x'', ''z''= ''z''. Solvable and not unimodular. (A limiting case of type VI where both eigenvalues are equal.) The simply connected group has trivial center and outer automorphism group the elements of GL2(R) of determinant +1 or −1. The matrix ''M'' has two equal eigenvalues, and is diagonalizable. *Type VI: An infinite family: semidirect products of R2 by R, where the matrix ''M'' has non-zero distinct real eigenvalues with non-zero sum. The algebras are solvable and not unimodular. The simply connected group has trivial center and outer automorphism group a product of the non-zero real numbers and a group of order 2. *Type VI0: This Lie algebra is the semidirect product of R2 by R, with R where the matrix ''M'' has non-zero distinct real eigenvalues with zero sum. It is solvable and unimodular. It is the Lie algebra of the 2-dimensional
Poincaré group The Poincaré group, named after Henri Poincaré (1906), was first defined by Hermann Minkowski (1908) as the group of Minkowski spacetime isometries. It is a ten-dimensional non-abelian Lie group that is of importance as a model in our und ...
, the group of isometries of 2-dimensional
Minkowski space In mathematical physics, Minkowski space (or Minkowski spacetime) () is a combination of three-dimensional Euclidean space and time into a four-dimensional manifold where the spacetime interval between any two events is independent of the inerti ...
. The simply connected group has trivial center and outer automorphism group the product of the
positive real numbers In mathematics, the set of positive real numbers, \R_ = \left\, is the subset of those real numbers that are greater than zero. The non-negative real numbers, \R_ = \left\, also include zero. Although the symbols \R_ and \R^ are ambiguously used fo ...
with the
dihedral group In mathematics, a dihedral group is the group of symmetries of a regular polygon, which includes rotations and reflections. Dihedral groups are among the simplest examples of finite groups, and they play an important role in group theory, ge ...
of order 8. *Type VII: An infinite family: semidirect products of R2 by R, where the matrix ''M'' has non-real and non-imaginary eigenvalues. Solvable and not unimodular. The simply connected group has trivial center and outer automorphism group the non-zero reals. *Type VII0: Semidirect product of R2 by R, where the matrix ''M'' has non-zero imaginary eigenvalues. Solvable and unimodular. This is the Lie algebra of the group of isometries of the plane. The simply connected group has center Z and outer automorphism group a product of the non-zero real numbers and a group of order 2. *Type VIII: The Lie algebra ''sl''2(R) of traceless 2 by 2 matrices, associated to the group SL2(R). It is
simple Simple or SIMPLE may refer to: *Simplicity, the state or quality of being simple Arts and entertainment * ''Simple'' (album), by Andy Yorke, 2008, and its title track * "Simple" (Florida Georgia Line song), 2018 * "Simple", a song by Johnn ...
and unimodular. The simply connected group is not a matrix group; it is denoted by \overline, has center Z and its outer automorphism group has order 2. *Type IX: The Lie algebra of the
orthogonal group In mathematics, the orthogonal group in dimension , denoted , is the Group (mathematics), group of isometry, distance-preserving transformations of a Euclidean space of dimension that preserve a fixed point, where the group operation is given by ...
''O''3(R). It is denoted by 𝖘𝖔(3) and is simple and unimodular. The corresponding simply connected group is
SU(2) In mathematics, the special unitary group of degree , denoted , is the Lie group of unitary matrices with determinant 1. The more general unitary matrices may have complex determinants with absolute value 1, rather than real 1 in the special ...
; it has center of order 2 and trivial outer automorphism group, and is a
spin group In mathematics the spin group Spin(''n'') page 15 is the double cover of the special orthogonal group , such that there exists a short exact sequence of Lie groups (when ) :1 \to \mathrm_2 \to \operatorname(n) \to \operatorname(n) \to 1. As a L ...
. The classification of 3-dimensional complex Lie algebras is similar except that types VIII and IX become isomorphic, and types VI and VII both become part of a single family of Lie algebras. The connected 3-dimensional Lie groups can be classified as follows: they are a quotient of the corresponding simply connected Lie group by a discrete subgroup of the center, so can be read off from the table above. The groups are related to the 8 geometries of Thurston's
geometrization conjecture In mathematics, Thurston's geometrization conjecture states that each of certain three-dimensional topological spaces has a unique geometric structure that can be associated with it. It is an analogue of the uniformization theorem for two-dimensi ...
. More precisely, seven of the 8 geometries can be realized as a left-invariant metric on the simply connected group (sometimes in more than one way). The Thurston geometry of type ''S2''×R cannot be realized in this way.


Structure constants

The three-dimensional Bianchi spaces each admit a set of three
Killing vector field In mathematics, a Killing vector field (often called a Killing field), named after Wilhelm Killing, is a vector field on a Riemannian manifold (or pseudo-Riemannian manifold) that preserves the metric. Killing fields are the infinitesimal gene ...
s \xi^_i which obey the following property: :\left( \frac - \frac \right) \xi^i_ \xi^k_ = C^c_ where C^c_, the "structure constants" of the group, form a constant order-three tensor antisymmetric in its lower two indices. For any three-dimensional Bianchi space, C^c_ is given by the relationship :C^c_ = \varepsilon_n^ - \delta^c_a a_b + \delta^c_b a_a where \varepsilon_ is the
Levi-Civita symbol In mathematics, particularly in linear algebra, tensor analysis, and differential geometry, the Levi-Civita symbol or Levi-Civita epsilon represents a collection of numbers; defined from the sign of a permutation of the natural numbers , for some ...
, \delta^c_a is the
Kronecker delta In mathematics, the Kronecker delta (named after Leopold Kronecker) is a function of two variables, usually just non-negative integers. The function is 1 if the variables are equal, and 0 otherwise: \delta_ = \begin 0 &\text i \neq j, \\ 1 &\ ...
, and the vector a_a = (a,0,0) and
diagonal In geometry, a diagonal is a line segment joining two vertices of a polygon or polyhedron, when those vertices are not on the same edge. Informally, any sloping line is called diagonal. The word ''diagonal'' derives from the ancient Greek δ ...
tensor n^ are described by the following table, where n^ gives the ''i''th
eigenvalue In linear algebra, an eigenvector () or characteristic vector of a linear transformation is a nonzero vector that changes at most by a scalar factor when that linear transformation is applied to it. The corresponding eigenvalue, often denoted b ...
of n^; the parameter ''a'' runs over all positive
real number In mathematics, a real number is a number that can be used to measure a ''continuous'' one-dimensional quantity such as a distance, duration or temperature. Here, ''continuous'' means that values can have arbitrarily small variations. Every real ...
s: The standard Bianchi classification can be derived from the structural constants in the following six steps: #Due to the antisymmetry C_^c = -C_^c, there are nine independent constants C_^c. These can be equivalently represented by the nine components of an arbitrary constant matrix ''C''''ab'':
C_^c = \varepsilon_ C^,
where ε''abd'' is the totally antisymmetric three-dimensional Levi-Civita symbol (ε123 = 1). Substitution of this expression for C_^c into the
Jacobi identity In mathematics, the Jacobi identity is a property of a binary operation that describes how the order of evaluation, the placement of parentheses in a multiple product, affects the result of the operation. By contrast, for operations with the asso ...
, results in
\varepsilon_ C^ C^ = 0. #The structure constants can be transformed as:
C^ = \left (\det \right )^ A_m^a A_n^b \acute^.
Appearance of det A in this formula is due to the fact that the symbol ε''abd'' transforms as tensor density: \varepsilon_ = \left ( \det \right ) D_a^m D_b^n D_c^d \acute_, where έ''mnd'' ≡ ε''mnd''. By this transformation it is always possible to reduce the matrix ''C''''ab'' to the form:
C^ = \begin n_1 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & C^ & C^ \\ 0 & C^ & C^ \end.
After such a choice, one still have the freedom of making triad transformations but with the restrictions A_2^1 = A_3^1 = 0 and A_1^2 = A_1^3 = 0. #Now, the Jacobi identities give only one constraint:
\left ( C^ - C^ \right ) n_1 = 0. #If ''n''1 ≠ 0 then ''C''23 – ''C''32 = 0 and by the remaining transformations with A_^ \neq 0 , \quad \bar,\bar = \bar,\bar, the 2 × 2 matrix C^ in ''C''''ab'' can be made diagonal. Then
C^ = \begin n_1 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & n_2 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & n_3 \end.
The diagonality condition for ''C''''ab'' is preserved under the transformations with diagonal A_b^a. Under these transformations, the three parameters ''n''1, ''n''2, ''n''3 change in the following way:
n_a = \left ( A_1^1 A_2^2 A_3^3 \right ) \left ( A_a^a \right )^2 \acute_a, \text \ a.
By these diagonal transformations, the modulus of any ''n''''a'' (if it is not zero) can be made equal to unity. Taking into account that the simultaneous change of sign of all ''n''''a'' produce nothing new, one arrives to the following invariantly different sets for the numbers ''n''1, ''n''2, ''n''3 (invariantly different in the sense that there is no way to pass from one to another by some transformation of the triad e_a^ = A_^ e_a^), that is to the following different types of homogeneous spaces with diagonal matrix ''C''''ab'':
\begin Bianchi \ IX & : & (n_1, n_2, n_3) & = & (1, 1, 1), \\ Bianchi \ VIII & : & (n_1, n_2, n_3) & = & (1, 1, -1), \\ Bianchi \ VII_0 & : & (n_1, n_2, n_3) & = & (1, 1, 0), \\ Bianchi \ VI_0 & : & (n_1, n_2, n_3) & = & (1, -1, 0), \\ Bianchi \ II & : & (n_1, n_2, n_3) & = & (1, 0, 0). \end #Consider now the case ''n''1 = 0. It can also happen in that case that ''C''23 – ''C''32 = 0. This returns to the situation already analyzed in the previous step but with the additional condition ''n''1 = 0. Now, all essentially different types for the sets ''n''1, ''n''2, ''n''3 are (0, 1, 1), (0, 1, −1), (0, 0, 1) and (0, 0, 0). The first three repeat the types ''VII''0, ''VI''0, ''II''. Consequently, only one new type arises:
Bianchi \ I \ : \ (n_1 , n_2 , n_3) \ = \ (0, 0, 0). #The only case left is ''n''1 = 0 and ''C''23 – ''C''32 ≠ 0. Now the 2 × 2 matrix C^ ( \bar, \bar = 2, 3) is non-symmetric and it cannot be made diagonal by transformations using A_^ \neq 0. However, its symmetric part can be diagonalized, that is the 3 × 3 matrix ''C''''ab'' can be reduced to the form:
C^ = \begin 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & n_2 & a \\ 0 & -a & n_3 \end,
where ''a'' is an arbitrary number. After this is done, there still remains the possibility to perform transformations with diagonal A_^, under which the quantities ''n''2, ''n''3 and ''a'' change as follows:
n_2 = \left ( A_1^1 A_2^2 A_3^3 \right )^ \left ( A_2^2 \right )^2 \acute_2, \quad n_3 = \left ( A_1^1 A_2^2 A_3^3 \right )^ \left ( A_3^3 \right )^2 \acute_3, \quad a = \left ( A_1^1 \right )^ \acute.
These formulas show that for nonzero ''n''2, ''n''3, ''a'', the combination ''a''2(''n''2''n''3)−1 is an invariant quantity. By a choice of A_1^1, one can impose the condition ''a'' > 0 and after this is done, the choice of the sign of A_3^3 \left ( A_2^2 \right )^ permits one to change both signs of ''n''2 and ''n''3 simultaneously, that is the set (''n''2 , ''n''3) is equivalent to the set (−''n''2,−''n''3). It follows that there are the following four different possibilities:
(a, n_2, n_3 ) = (a, 0, 0), (a, 0, 1), (a, 1, 1), (a, 1,-1).
For the first two, the number ''a'' can be transformed to unity by a choice of
the parameters A_1^1 and A_3^3 \left ( A_2^2 \right )^. For the second two possibilities, both of these parameters are already fixed and ''a'' remains an invariant and arbitrary positive number. Historically these four types of homogeneous spaces have been classified as:
\begin Bianchi \ V & : & n_1 = 0, \ (a, n_2, n_3) & = & (1, 0, 0), \\ Bianchi \ IV & : & n_1 = 0, \ (a, n_2, n_3) & = & (1, 0, 1), \\ Bianchi \ VII & : & n_1 = 0, \ (a, n_2, n_3) & = & (a, 1, 1), \\ Bianchi \ III & : & n_1 = 0, \ (a, n_2, n_3) & = & (1, 1, -1), \\ Bianchi \ VI & : & n_1 = 0, \ (a, n_2, n_3) & = & (a, 1, -1). \end
Type ''III'' is just a particular case of type ''VI'' corresponding to ''a'' = 1. Types ''VII'' and ''VI'' contain an infinity of invariantly different types of algebras corresponding to the arbitrariness of the continuous parameter ''a''. Type ''VII''0 is a particular case of ''VII'' corresponding to ''a'' = 0 while type ''VI''0 is a particular case of ''VI'' corresponding also to ''a'' = 0.


Curvature of Bianchi spaces

The Bianchi spaces have the property that their
Ricci tensor In differential geometry, the Ricci curvature tensor, named after Gregorio Ricci-Curbastro, is a geometric object which is determined by a choice of Riemannian or pseudo-Riemannian metric on a manifold. It can be considered, broadly, as a measure ...
s can be separated into a product of the
basis vector In mathematics, a set of vectors in a vector space is called a basis if every element of may be written in a unique way as a finite linear combination of elements of . The coefficients of this linear combination are referred to as components ...
s associated with the space and a coordinate-independent tensor. For a given
metric Metric or metrical may refer to: * Metric system, an internationally adopted decimal system of measurement * An adjective indicating relation to measurement in general, or a noun describing a specific type of measurement Mathematics In mathema ...
: :ds^2 = \gamma_ \xi^_i \xi^_k dx^i dx^k (where \xi^_idx^i are
1-forms In differential geometry, a one-form on a differentiable manifold is a smooth section of the cotangent bundle. Equivalently, a one-form on a manifold M is a smooth mapping of the total space of the tangent bundle of M to \R whose restriction to eac ...
), the Ricci curvature tensor R_ is given by: :R_ = R_ \xi^_i \xi^_k :R_ = \frac \left C^_ \left( C_ + C_ \right) + C^c_ \left( C^_ + C^_ \right) - \frac C^_b C_ \right/math> where the indices on the structure constants are raised and lowered with \gamma_ which is not a function of x^i.


Cosmological application

In
cosmology Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount (lexicographer), Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in ...
, this classification is used for a
homogeneous Homogeneity and heterogeneity are concepts often used in the sciences and statistics relating to the uniformity of a substance or organism. A material or image that is homogeneous is uniform in composition or character (i.e. color, shape, siz ...
spacetime In physics, spacetime is a mathematical model that combines the three dimensions of space and one dimension of time into a single four-dimensional manifold. Spacetime diagrams can be used to visualize relativistic effects, such as why differen ...
of dimension 3+1. The 3-dimensional Lie group is as the symmetry group of the 3-dimensional spacelike slice, and the Lorentz metric satisfying the Einstein equation is generated by varying the metric components as a function of t. The
Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker metric The Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker (FLRW; ) metric is a metric based on the exact solution of Einstein's field equations of general relativity; it describes a homogeneous, isotropic, expanding (or otherwise, contracting) universe tha ...
s are isotropic, which are particular cases of types I, V, \scriptstyle\text_h and IX. The Bianchi type I models include the
Kasner metric The Kasner metric (developed by and named for the American mathematician Edward Kasner in 1921)Kasner, E. "Geometrical theorems on Einstein’s cosmological equations." ''Am. J. Math.'' 43, 217–221 (1921). is an exact solution to Albert Einst ...
as a special case. The Bianchi IX cosmologies include the Taub metric. However, the dynamics near the singularity is approximately governed by a series of successive Kasner (Bianchi I) periods. The complicated dynamics, which essentially amounts to billiard motion in a portion of hyperbolic space, exhibits chaotic behaviour, and is named Mixmaster; its analysis is referred to as the BKL analysis after Belinskii, Khalatnikov and Lifshitz. More recent work has established a relation of (super-)gravity theories near a spacelike singularity (BKL-limit) with Lorentzian
Kac–Moody algebra In mathematics, a Kac–Moody algebra (named for Victor Kac and Robert Moody, who independently and simultaneously discovered them in 1968) is a Lie algebra, usually infinite-dimensional, that can be defined by generators and relations through a ge ...
s,
Weyl group In mathematics, in particular the theory of Lie algebras, the Weyl group (named after Hermann Weyl) of a root system Φ is a subgroup of the isometry group of that root system. Specifically, it is the subgroup which is generated by reflections th ...
s and hyperbolic
Coxeter group In mathematics, a Coxeter group, named after H. S. M. Coxeter, is an abstract group that admits a formal description in terms of reflections (or kaleidoscopic mirrors). Indeed, the finite Coxeter groups are precisely the finite Euclidean refl ...
s. Other more recent work is concerned with the discrete nature of the Kasner map and a continuous generalisation. In a space that is both homogeneous and isotropic the metric is determined completely, leaving free only the sign of the curvature. Assuming only space homogeneity with no additional symmetry such as isotropy leaves considerably more freedom in choosing the metric. The following pertains to the space part of the metric at a given instant of time ''t'' assuming a synchronous frame so that ''t'' is the same synchronised time for the whole space. Homogeneity implies identical metric properties at all points of the space. An exact definition of this concept involves considering sets of coordinate transformations that transform the space into itself, i.e. leave its metric unchanged: if the line element before transformation is :dl^2 = \gamma_ \left ( x^1, x^2, x^3 \right ) dx^ dx^, then after transformation the same line element is :dl^2 = \gamma_ \left ( x^, x^, x^ \right ) dx^ dx^, with the same functional dependence of γαβ on the new coordinates. (For a more theoretical and coordinate-independent definition of homogeneous space see
homogeneous space In mathematics, particularly in the theories of Lie groups, algebraic groups and topological groups, a homogeneous space for a group ''G'' is a non-empty manifold or topological space ''X'' on which ''G'' acts transitively. The elements of ' ...
). A space is homogeneous if it admits a set of transformations ( ''a group of motions'') that brings any given point to the position of any other point. Since space is three-dimensional the different transformations of the group are labelled by three independent parameters. In
Euclidean space Euclidean space is the fundamental space of geometry, intended to represent physical space. Originally, that is, in Euclid's Elements, Euclid's ''Elements'', it was the three-dimensional space of Euclidean geometry, but in modern mathematics ther ...
the homogeneity of space is expressed by the invariance of the metric under parallel displacements (
translations Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''transla ...
) of the
Cartesian coordinate system A Cartesian coordinate system (, ) in a plane is a coordinate system that specifies each point uniquely by a pair of numerical coordinates, which are the signed distances to the point from two fixed perpendicular oriented lines, measured in t ...
. Each translation is determined by three parameters — the components of the displacement vector of the coordinate origin. All these transformations leave invariant the three independent differentials (''dx'', ''dy'', ''dz'') from which the line element is constructed. In the general case of a non-Euclidean homogeneous space, the transformations of its group of motions again leave invariant three independent linear
differential forms In mathematics, differential forms provide a unified approach to define integrands over curves, surfaces, solids, and higher-dimensional manifolds. The modern notion of differential forms was pioneered by Élie Cartan. It has many applications, ...
, which do not, however, reduce to total differentials of any coordinate functions. These forms are written as e_^ dx^ where the Latin index (''a'') labels three independent vectors (coordinate functions); these vectors are called a
frame field A frame field in general relativity (also called a tetrad or vierbein) is a set of four pointwise-orthonormal vector fields, one timelike and three spacelike, defined on a Lorentzian manifold that is physically interpreted as a model of spacetime ...
or triad. The Greek letters label the three space-like
curvilinear coordinates In geometry, curvilinear coordinates are a coordinate system for Euclidean space in which the coordinate lines may be curved. These coordinates may be derived from a set of Cartesian coordinates by using a transformation that is locally inve ...
. A spatial metric invariant is constructed under the given group of motions with the use of the above forms: i.e. the metric tensor is where the coefficients η''ab'', which are symmetric in the indices ''a'' and ''b'', are functions of time. The choice of basis vectors is dictated by the symmetry properties of the space and, in general, these basis vectors are not orthogonal (so that the matrix η''ab'' is not diagonal). The reciprocal triple of vectors e_^ is introduced with the help of
Kronecker delta In mathematics, the Kronecker delta (named after Leopold Kronecker) is a function of two variables, usually just non-negative integers. The function is 1 if the variables are equal, and 0 otherwise: \delta_ = \begin 0 &\text i \neq j, \\ 1 &\ ...
In the three-dimensional case, the relation between the two vector triples can be written explicitly where the volume ''v'' is :v = \left\vert e_^ \right\vert = \mathbf^ \cdot \mathbf^ \times \mathbf^, with e(''a'') and e(''a'') regarded as Cartesian vectors with components e_^ and e_^, respectively. The
determinant In mathematics, the determinant is a scalar value that is a function of the entries of a square matrix. It characterizes some properties of the matrix and the linear map represented by the matrix. In particular, the determinant is nonzero if and ...
of the metric tensor is γ = η''v''2 where η is the determinant of the matrix η''ab''. The required conditions for the homogeneity of the space are The constants C^_ are called the
structure constants In mathematics, the structure constants or structure coefficients of an algebra over a field are used to explicitly specify the product of two basis vectors in the algebra as a linear combination. Given the structure constants, the resulting prod ...
of the group. : Multiplying by e_^, can be rewritten in the form can be written in a vector form as :\mathbf_ \times \mathbf_ \text \mathbf^ = -C_^c, where again the vector operations are done as if the coordinates ''x''α were Cartesian. Using , one obtains and six more equations obtained by a cyclic permutation of indices 1, 2, 3. The structure constants are antisymmetric in their lower indices as seen from their definition : C_^c = -C_^c. Another condition on the structure constants can be obtained by noting that can be written in the form of
commutation relations In quantum mechanics, the canonical commutation relation is the fundamental relation between canonical conjugate quantities (quantities which are related by definition such that one is the Fourier transform of another). For example, hat x,\hat ...
for the linear
differential operators In mathematics, a differential operator is an operator defined as a function of the differentiation operator. It is helpful, as a matter of notation first, to consider differentiation as an abstract operation that accepts a function and return ...
In the mathematical theory of continuous groups (
Lie groups In mathematics, a Lie group (pronounced ) is a group that is also a differentiable manifold. A manifold is a space that locally resembles Euclidean space, whereas groups define the abstract concept of a binary operation along with the additio ...
) the operators ''X''''a'' satisfying conditions are called the generators of the group. The theory of Lie groups uses operators defined using the
Killing vectors In mathematics, a Killing vector field (often called a Killing field), named after Wilhelm Killing, is a vector field on a Riemannian manifold (or pseudo-Riemannian manifold) that preserves the metric. Killing fields are the infinitesimal genera ...
\xi_^ instead of triads e_^. Since in the synchronous metric none of the γαβ components depends on time, the Killing vectors (triads) are time-like. The conditions follow from the
Jacobi identity In mathematics, the Jacobi identity is a property of a binary operation that describes how the order of evaluation, the placement of parentheses in a multiple product, affects the result of the operation. By contrast, for operations with the asso ...
: X_a, X_b X_c] + X_b, X_c X_a] + X_c, X_a X_b] = 0 and have the form It is a definite advantage to use, in place of the three-index constants C_^c, a set of two-index quantities, obtained by the dual transformation where ''eabc'' = ''eabc'' is the Levi-Civita symbol, unit antisymmetric symbol (with ''e''123 = +1). With these constants the commutation relations are written as The antisymmetry property is already taken into account in the definition , while property takes the form The choice of the three frame vectors in the differential forms e_^ dx^ (and with them the operators ''Xa'') is not unique. They can be subjected to any linear transformation with constant coefficients: The quantities η''ab'' and ''Cab'' behave like tensors (are invariant) with respect to such transformations. The conditions are the only ones that the structure constants must satisfy. But among the constants admissible by these conditions, there are equivalent sets, in the sense that their difference is related to a transformation of the type . The question of the classification of homogeneous spaces reduces to determining all nonequivalent sets of structure constants. This can be done, using the "tensor" properties of the quantities ''Cab'', by the following simple method (C. G. Behr, 1962). The asymmetric tensor ''Cab'' can be resolved into a symmetric and an antisymmetric part. The first is denoted by ''nab'', and the second is expressed in terms of its
dual vector In mathematics, a linear form (also known as a linear functional, a one-form, or a covector) is a linear map from a vector space to its field of scalars (often, the real numbers or the complex numbers). If is a vector space over a field , the ...
''ac'': Substitution of this expression in leads to the condition By means of the transformations the symmetric tensor ''nab'' can be brought to diagonal form with
eigenvalues In linear algebra, an eigenvector () or characteristic vector of a linear transformation is a nonzero vector that changes at most by a scalar factor when that linear transformation is applied to it. The corresponding eigenvalue, often denoted b ...
''n''1, ''n''2, ''n''3. Equation shows that the vector ''ab'' (if it exists) lies along one of the principal directions of the tensor ''nab'', the one corresponding to the eigenvalue zero. Without loss of generality one can therefore set ''ab'' = (''a'', 0, 0). Then reduces to ''an''1 = 0, i.e. one of the quantities ''a'' or ''n''1 must be zero. The Jacobi identities take the form: The only remaining freedoms are sign changes of the operators ''Xa'' and their multiplication by arbitrary constants. This permits to simultaneously change the sign of all the ''na'' and also to make the quantity ''a'' positive (if it is different from zero). Also all structure constants can be made equal to ±1, if at least one of the quantities ''a'', ''n''2, ''n''3 vanishes. But if all three of these quantities differ from zero, the scale transformations leave invariant the ratio ''h'' = ''a''2(''n''2''n''3)−1. Thus one arrives at the Bianchi classification listing the possible types of homogeneous spaces classified by the values of ''a'', ''n''1, ''n''2, ''n''3 which is graphically presented in Fig. 3. In the class A case (''a'' = 0), type IX (''n''(1)=1, ''n''(2)=1, ''n''(3)=1) is represented by octant 2, type VIII (''n''(1)=1, ''n''(2)=1, ''n''(3)=–1) is represented by octant 6, while type VII0 (''n''(1)=1, ''n''(2)=1, ''n''(3)=0) is represented by the first quadrant of the horizontal plane and type VI0 (''n''(1)=1, ''n''(2)=–1, ''n''(3)=0) is represented by the fourth quadrant of this plane; type II ((''n''(1)=1, ''n''(2)=0, ''n''(3)=0) is represented by the interval ,1along ''n''(1) and type I (''n''(1)=0, ''n''(2)=0, ''n''(3)=0) is at the origin. Similarly in the class B case (with ''n''(3) = 0), Bianchi type VIh (''a''=''h'', ''n''(1)=1, ''n''(2)=–1) projects to the fourth quadrant of the horizontal plane and type VIIh (''a''=''h'', ''n''(1)=1, ''n''(2)=1) projects to the first quadrant of the horizontal plane; these last two types are a single isomorphism class corresponding to a constant value surface of the function ''h'' = ''a''2(''n''(1)''n''(2))−1. A typical such surface is illustrated in one octant, the angle ''θ'' given by tan ''θ'' = , ''h''/2, 1/2; those in the remaining octants are obtained by rotation through multiples of ''π''/2, ''h'' alternating in sign for a given magnitude , ''h'', . Type III is a subtype of VIh with ''a''=1. Type V (''a''=1, ''n''(1)=0, ''n''(2)=0) is the interval (0,1] along the axis ''a'' and type IV (''a''=1, ''n''(1)=1, ''n''(2)=0) is the vertical open face between the first and fourth quadrants of the ''a'' = 0 plane with the latter giving the class A limit of each type. The Einstein equations for a universe with a homogeneous space can reduce to a system of ordinary differential equations containing only functions of time with the help of a frame field. To do this one must resolve the spatial components of four-vectors and four-tensors along the triad of basis vectors of the space: R_ = R_ e_^ e_^, \quad R_ = R_ e_^, \quad u^ = u^ e_^, where all these quantities are now functions of ''t'' alone; the scalar quantities, the energy density ε and the pressure of the matter ''p'', are also functions of the time. The Einstein equations in vacuum in synchronous reference frame areThe convention used by BKL is the same as in the book. The Latin indices run through the values 0, 1, 2, 3; Greek indices run through the space values 1, 2, 3. The metric ''gik'' has the signature (+ − − −); γαβ = −''g''αβ is the 3-dimensional space metric tensor. BKL use a system of units, in which the speed of light and the Einstein gravitational constant are equal to 1. where \varkappa_^ is the 3-dimensional tensor \varkappa_^=\frac, and ''P''αβ is the 3-dimensional
Ricci tensor In differential geometry, the Ricci curvature tensor, named after Gregorio Ricci-Curbastro, is a geometric object which is determined by a choice of Riemannian or pseudo-Riemannian metric on a manifold. It can be considered, broadly, as a measure ...
, which is expressed by the 3-dimensional Metric tensor (general relativity), metric tensor γαβ in the same way as ''Rik'' is expressed by ''gik''; ''P''αβ contains only the space (but not the time) derivatives of γαβ. Using triads, for one has simply :\varkappa_ = \frac, \quad \varkappa_^ = \frac \eta^. The components of ''P''(''a'')(''b'') can be expressed in terms of the quantities η''ab'' and the structure constants of the group by using the tetrad representation of the Ricci tensor in terms of quantities \lambda_ = \left ( e_ - e_ \right ) e_^i e_^k : R_ = -\frac \left ( \lambda_^c + \lambda_^c + \lambda_^c + \lambda_^c + \lambda^_b \lambda_ + \lambda^_b \lambda_ - \frac \lambda_b^ \lambda_ + \lambda_^c \lambda_^d + \lambda_^c \lambda_^d \right ). After replacing the three-index symbols \lambda_^a = C_^a by two-index symbols ''C''''ab'' and the transformations: :\eta_ \eta_ \eta_ e^ = \eta e_, \quad e_ e^ = \delta_a^c \delta_b^d - \delta_a^d \delta_b^c one gets the "homogeneous" Ricci tensor expressed in structure constants: :P_^ = \frac \left \. Here, all indices are raised and lowered with the local metric tensor η''ab'' :C_a^b = \eta_ C^, \quad C_ = \eta_ \eta_ C^. The
Bianchi identities In differential geometry, the curvature form describes curvature of a connection on a principal bundle. The Riemann curvature tensor in Riemannian geometry can be considered as a special case. Definition Let ''G'' be a Lie group with Lie algebra ...
for the three-dimensional tensor ''P''αβ in the homogeneous space take the form :P^c_b C^b_ + P^c_a C^b_ = 0. Taking into account the transformations of covariant derivatives for arbitrary four-vectors ''A''''i'' and four-tensors ''A''''ik'' :A_ e_^i e_^k = A_ - A^ \gamma_, :A_ e_^i e_^k e_^l = A_ - A_^ \gamma_ + A_^ \gamma_, the final expressions for the triad components of the Ricci four-tensor are: In setting up the Einstein equations there is thus no need to use explicit expressions for the basis vectors as functions of the coordinates.


See also

*
Table of Lie groups This article gives a table of some common Lie groups and their associated Lie algebras. The following are noted: the topological properties of the group (dimension; connectedness; compactness; the nature of the fundamental group; and whether ...
*
List of simple Lie groups In mathematics, a simple Lie group is a connected non-abelian Lie group ''G'' which does not have nontrivial connected normal subgroups. The list of simple Lie groups can be used to read off the list of simple Lie algebras and Riemannian symme ...
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BKL singularity A Belinski–Khalatnikov–Lifshitz (BKL) singularity is a model of the dynamic evolution of the universe near the initial gravitational singularity, described by an anisotropic, chaotic solution of the Einstein field equation of gravitation ...


Notes


References


Bibliography

* * *L. Bianchi, ''Sugli spazi a tre dimensioni che ammettono un gruppo continuo di movimenti.'' (On the spaces of three dimensions that admit a continuous group of movements.) Soc. Ital. Sci. Mem. di Mat. 11, 267 (1898
English translation
* * * * *Guido Fubini ''Sugli spazi a quattro dimensioni che ammettono un gruppo continuo di movimenti'', (On the spaces of four dimensions that admit a continuous group of movements.) Ann. Mat. pura appli. (3) 9, 33-90 (1904); reprinted in ''Opere Scelte'', a cura dell'Unione matematica italiana e col contributo del Consiglio nazionale delle ricerche, Roma Edizioni Cremonese, 1957–62 *MacCallum, ''On the classification of the real four-dimensional Lie algebras'', in "On Einstein's path: essays in honor of Engelbert Schucking" edited by A. L. Harvey, Springer * * * *Robert T. Jantzen
Bianchi classification of 3-geometries: original papers in translation
* * Vol. 2 of the
Course of Theoretical Physics The ''Course of Theoretical Physics'' is a ten-volume series of books covering theoretical physics that was initiated by Lev Landau and written in collaboration with his student Evgeny Lifshitz starting in the late 1930s. It is said that Landau ...
*; English translation in * * * {{refend Lie algebras Lie groups Physical cosmology