Properties of irrotational vector fields (Q1074136)

Let (M,g) be a Riemannian manifold of dimension n. We denote by L(M) the Lie algebra of \(C^{\infty}\) vector fields on M. Let X be a vector field on M. If for all Y,Z\(\in L(M)\) we have the relation \(g(\nabla_ YX,Z)- g(\nabla_ ZX,Y)=0,\) then X is called an irrotational vector field on (M,g). This definition is equivalent to the fact that \((\nabla X)_ x\) is a symmetric endomorphism with respect to the scalar product induced by g in \(T_ xM\) for each point \(x\in M\). Hence the concurrent vector fields are irrotational. A vector field is irrotational if and only if it is a locally potential field. An irrotational vector field X for which div X\(=0\) is called harmonic. The energy of X is defined by \(F=g(X,X)\). We have the relation \(df(X)=g(\nabla_ YX,X)=g(\nabla_ XX,Y)\) for all \(Y\in L(M)\) and grad f\(=\nabla_ XX.\) Some of the results of this paper can be stated as follows: (I) Let X be an irrotational vector field on a Riemannian manifold (M,g) of dimension n and let f be the energy of X. (1) If \(x_ 0\in M\) is a critical point of the energy f and \(rank(\nabla X)_{x_ 0}=n\), then \(x_ 0\) is a zero of X. (2) Suppose rank (\(\nabla X)\leq n-2\). a) If \(x_ 0\in M\) is a local minimum point of the energy f and the sectional curvature \(K_{x_ 0}\) of M at \(x_ 0\) is strictly negative, then \(x_ 0\) is a zero of X. b) If \(x_ 0\in M\) is a local maximum point of the energy f and the sectional curvature \(K_{x_ 0}\) of M at \(x_ 0\) is strictly positive, then X vanishes identically in a neighborhood of \(x_ 0\). (II) Let X be an irrotational vector field on a complete Riemannian manifold (M,g). The energy f is convex if and only if \[ g(\nabla_ X(\nabla X)(Y),Y)+R(X,Y,X,Y)+g(\nabla_ YX,\nabla_ YX)\geq 0,\quad for\quad all\quad Y\in {\mathcal X}(M). \]