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In mathematics, the interior product (also known as interior derivative, interior multiplication, inner multiplication, inner derivative, insertion operator, or inner derivation) is a degree −1 (anti)derivation on the exterior algebra of differential forms on a smooth manifold. The interior product, named in opposition to the exterior product, should not be confused with an inner product. The interior product ${\displaystyle \iota _{X}\omega }$ is sometimes written as ${\displaystyle X\mathbin {\lrcorner } \omega .}$

Definition

The interior product is defined to be the contraction of a differential form with a vector field. Thus if ${\displaystyle X}$ is a vector field on the manifold ${\displaystyle M,}$ then $${\displaystyle \iota _{X}:\Omega ^{p}(M)\to \Omega ^{p-1}(M)}$$ is the map which sends a ${\displaystyle p}$-form ${\displaystyle \omega }$ to the ${\displaystyle (p-1)}$-form ${\displaystyle \iota _{X}\omega }$ defined by the property that $${\displaystyle (\iota _{X}\omega )\left(X_{1},\ldots ,X_{p-1}\right)=\omega \left(X,X_{1},\ldots ,X_{p-1}\right)}$$ for any vector fields ${\displaystyle X_{1},\ldots ,X_{p-1}.}$

When ${\displaystyle \omega }$ is a scalar field (0-form), ${\displaystyle \iota _{X}\omega =0}$ by convention.

The interior product is the unique antiderivation of degree −1 on the exterior algebra such that on one-forms ${\displaystyle \alpha }$ $${\displaystyle \displaystyle \iota _{X}\alpha =\alpha (X)=\langle \alpha ,X\rangle ,}$$ where ${\displaystyle \langle \,\cdot ,\cdot \,\rangle }$ is the duality pairing between ${\displaystyle \alpha }$ and the vector ${\displaystyle X.}$ Explicitly, if ${\displaystyle \beta }$ is a ${\displaystyle p}$-form and ${\displaystyle \gamma }$ is a ${\displaystyle q}$-form, then $${\displaystyle \iota _{X}(\beta \wedge \gamma )=\left(\iota _{X}\beta \right)\wedge \gamma +(-1)^{p}\beta \wedge \left(\iota _{X}\gamma \right).}$$ The above relation says that the interior product obeys a graded Leibniz rule. An operation satisfying linearity and a Leibniz rule is called a derivation.

Properties

If in local coordinates ${\displaystyle (x_{1},...,x_{n})}$ the vector field ${\displaystyle X}$ is given by

${\displaystyle X=f_{1}{\frac {\partial }{\partial x_{1}}}+\cdots +f_{n}{\frac {\partial }{\partial x_{n}}}}$

then the interior product is given by $${\displaystyle \iota _{X}(dx_{1}\wedge ...\wedge dx_{n})=\sum _{r=1}^{n}(-1)^{r-1}f_{r}dx_{1}\wedge ...\wedge {\widehat {dx_{r}}}\wedge ...\wedge dx_{n},}$$ where ${\displaystyle dx_{1}\wedge ...\wedge {\widehat {dx_{r}}}\wedge ...\wedge dx_{n}}$ is the form obtained by omitting ${\displaystyle dx_{r}}$ from ${\displaystyle dx_{1}\wedge ...\wedge dx_{n}}$.

By antisymmetry of forms, $${\displaystyle \iota _{X}\iota _{Y}\omega =-\iota _{Y}\iota _{X}\omega ,}$$ and so ${\displaystyle \iota _{X}\circ \iota _{X}=0.}$ This may be compared to the exterior derivative ${\displaystyle d,}$ which has the property ${\displaystyle d\circ d=0.}$

The interior product with respect to the commutator of two vector fields ${\displaystyle X,}$ ${\displaystyle Y}$ satisfies the identity $${\displaystyle \iota _{}=\left=\left.}$$Proof. For any k-form ${\displaystyle \Omega }$, $${\displaystyle {\mathcal {L}}_{X}(\iota _{Y}\Omega )-\iota _{Y}({\mathcal {L}}_{X}\Omega )=({\mathcal {L}}_{X}\Omega )(Y,-)+\Omega ({\mathcal {L}}_{X}Y,-)-({\mathcal {L}}_{X}\Omega )(Y,-)=\iota _{{\mathcal {L}}_{X}Y}\Omega =\iota _{}\Omega }$$and similarly for the other result.

Cartan identity

The interior product relates the exterior derivative and Lie derivative of differential forms by the Cartan formula (also known as the Cartan identity, Cartan homotopy formula or Cartan magic formula): $${\displaystyle {\mathcal {L}}_{X}\omega =d(\iota _{X}\omega )+\iota _{X}d\omega =\left\{d,\iota _{X}\right\}\omega .}$$

where the anticommutator was used. This identity defines a duality between the exterior and interior derivatives. Cartan's identity is important in symplectic geometry and general relativity: see moment map. The Cartan homotopy formula is named after Élie Cartan.

Since vector fields are locally integrable, we can always find a local coordinate system ${\displaystyle (\xi ^{1},\dots ,\xi ^{n})}$ such that the vector field ${\displaystyle X}$ corresponds to the partial derivative with respect to the first coordinate, i.e., ${\displaystyle X=\partial _{1}}$.

By linearity of the interior product, exterior derivative, and Lie derivative, it suffices to prove the Cartan's magic formula for monomial ${\displaystyle k}$-forms. There are only two cases:

Case 1: ${\displaystyle \alpha =a\,d\xi ^{1}\wedge d\xi ^{2}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k}}$. Direct computation yields:$${\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}\iota _{X}\alpha &=a\,d\xi ^{2}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k},\\d(\iota _{X}\alpha )&=(\partial _{1}a)\,d\xi ^{1}\wedge d\xi ^{2}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k}+\sum _{i=k+1}^{n}(\partial _{i}a)\,d\xi ^{i}\wedge d\xi ^{2}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k},\\d\alpha &=\sum _{i=k+1}^{n}(\partial _{i}a)\,d\xi ^{i}\wedge d\xi ^{1}\wedge d\xi ^{2}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k},\\\iota _{X}(d\alpha )&=-\sum _{i=k+1}^{n}(\partial _{i}a)\,d\xi ^{i}\wedge d\xi ^{2}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k},\\L_{X}\alpha &=(\partial _{1}a)\,d\xi ^{1}\wedge d\xi ^{2}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k}.\end{aligned}}}$$

Case 2: ${\displaystyle \alpha =a\,d\xi ^{2}\wedge d\xi ^{3}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k+1}}$. Direct computation yields:$${\displaystyle {\begin{aligned}\iota _{X}\alpha &=0,\\d\alpha &=(\partial _{1}a)\,d\xi ^{1}\wedge d\xi ^{2}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k+1}+\sum _{i=k+2}^{n}(\partial _{i}a)\,d\xi ^{i}\wedge d\xi ^{2}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k+1},\\\iota _{X}(d\alpha )&=(\partial _{1}a)\,d\xi ^{2}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k+1},\\L_{X}\alpha &=(\partial _{1}a)\,d\xi ^{2}\wedge \dots \wedge d\xi ^{k+1}.\end{aligned}}}$$

The exterior derivative ${\displaystyle d}$ is an anti-derivation on the exterior algebra. Similarly, the interior product ${\displaystyle \iota _{X}}$ with a vector field ${\displaystyle X}$ is also an anti-derivation. On the other hand, the Lie derivative ${\displaystyle L_{X}}$ is a derivation.

The anti-commutator of two anti-derivations is a derivation.

To show that two derivations on the exterior algebra are equal, it suffices to show that they agree on a set of generators. Locally, the exterior algebra is generated by 0-forms (smooth functions ${\displaystyle f}$) and their differentials, exact 1-forms (${\displaystyle df}$). Verify Cartan's magic formula on these two cases.

See also

• Cap product – Method in algebraic topology
• Inner product – Generalization of the dot product; used to define Hilbert spacesPages displaying short descriptions of redirect targets
• Tensor contraction – Operation in mathematics and physics

Notes

1. The character ⨼ is U+2A3C INTERIOR PRODUCT in Unicode
2. Tu, Sec 20.5.
3. There is another formula called "Cartan formula". See Steenrod algebra.
4. ^ Is "Cartan's magic formula" due to Élie or Henri?, MathOverflow, 2010-09-21, retrieved 2018-06-25
5. Elementary Proof of the Cartan Magic Formula, Oleg Zubelevich

References

• Theodore Frankel, The Geometry of Physics: An Introduction; Cambridge University Press, 3rd ed. 2011
• Loring W. Tu, An Introduction to Manifolds, 2e, Springer. 2011. doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-7400-6

• Differential forms
• Differential geometry
• Multilinear algebra