Discrete Lagrangian reduction, discrete Euler-Poincaré equations, and semidirect products (Q1819183)

The study of variational integrators has recently attracted great interest. These numerical integrators were introduced by A. P. Veselov, and the method consists in the substitution of a variational principle by its discrete version. The discrete Euler-Lagrange equations define (in an implicit form) the algorithm, and then numerical methods can be applied. They are particularly effective in Lagrangian mechanics. If the Lagrangian function \(L\) is defined on the space of velocities \(TQ\), then \(L\) is discretized to be a function on \(Q\times Q\). The discrete dynamics preserve the symplectic form defined on \(Q\times Q\) by transporting the canonical symplectic form on \(T^*Q\) through an appropriate discrete Legendre transformation. In the paper under review, the authors consider the particular case when the configuration space is a Lie group \(G\), and the Lagrangian is invariant. The reduction of discrete Euler-Lagrange equations leads to discrete Euler-Poincaré equations. The corresponding discrete dynamics is proved to preserve an appropriate Poisson bracket defined in the semidirect group \(G\times g^*\).