The Maslov class in a Riemannian phase space (Q1175635): Difference between revisions

The Maslov class is a cohomological invariant of a pair of Lagrangian subbundles of a symplectic vector bundle. A fully Riemannian expression of a differential form which represents the Maslov class in the case of a Riemannian phase space \((T^*M,g)\), where \(g\) is a Riemannian metric on \(M\), is obtained. This completes previous computations of the author [Symplectic geometry and secondary characteristic classes, Prog. Math. 72 (Boston 1987; Zbl 0629.53002)]. The result generalizes a formula given by \textit{J. M. Morvan} [Ann. Inst. Henri Poincaré, Nouv. Sér., Sect. A 38, 349--370 (1983; Zbl 0521.53040)] for the case \(M=\mathbb{R}^n\). A computation for the Maslov class of an optical Lagrangian (resp. Legendrian) submanifold of \(T^*M\) (resp. the unit sphere subbundle of \(T^*M\)) is also presented. Similar formulas are used to compute the mean curvature vector of a Lagrangian (Legendrian) submanifold of an almost Hermitian (almost contact metric) manifold.