The standard Laplace operator (Q1755533)

Let \((M,g)\) be a Riemannian manifold and \(VM\) be a geometric vector bundle on \(M\) endowed with a connection \(\nabla\). One of the characteristic properties of geometric vector bundles is the possibility to construct a curvature endomorphism \(q(R)\in\Gamma(\text{End}VM)\) parametrized by the curvature tensor \(R\) of a metric connection \(\nabla\). Then the standard Laplace operator associated to a geometric vector bundle is the following sum of the rough Laplacian with the curvature endomorphism \(\Delta:=\nabla*\nabla+q(R)\). By construction, \(\Delta\) commutes with all homomorphisms of geometric vector bundles. In the present paper it is proved that the standard Laplace operator commutes not only with all homomorphisms, but also with a large class of natural differential operators between geometric vector bundles. One of the main results is the formula for the commutator \(\left[\Delta, D\right]\), where \(D\) is a natural first order differential operator. There are also presented some applications of this commutator formula.