Scribd
Upload
10 views5 pages

Exercises gm2425

Uploaded by

João Mota
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
10 views5 pages

Exercises gm2425

Uploaded by

João Mota
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 5

Geometric Mechanics, Fall 2024/25

Instituto Superior Técnico

Due October 7

1. Recall that the hyperbolic plane is the upper half plane

H = (x, y) ∈ R2 : y > 0


with the Riemannian metric


1
(·, ·) = (dx ⊗ dx + dy ⊗ dy).
y2
Compute its geodesics.
2. Use spherical coordinates to write the equations of motion for the spherical
pendulum of length l, i.e. a particle of mass m > 0 moving in R3 subject to
a constant gravitational acceleration g and with the holonomic constraint

N = (x, y, z) ∈ R3 : x2 + y 2 + z 2 = l2 .


Which parallels of N are possible trajectories of the particle?


3. Write the equations of motion for a particle moving
p on a frictionless sur-
face of revolution with equation z = f (r), r = x2 + y 2 , under a constant
gravitational acceleration g.

Due November 8

4. Let S : R → SO(3) describe the orientation of a rigid body. In terms of


the Euler angles, show that the angular velocity Ω and ω are given by

Ω = (θ̇ cos ψ + ϕ̇ sin θ sin ψ)e1 + (−θ̇ sin ψ + ϕ̇ sin θ cos ψ)e2 + (ψ̇ + ϕ̇ cos θ)e3 ,

ω = (θ̇ cos ϕ + ψ̇ sin θ sin ϕ)e1 + (θ̇ sin ϕ − ψ̇ sin θ cos ϕ)e2 + (ϕ̇ + ψ̇ cos θ)e3 .
You may use Mathematica to help with the computations.
5. Consider an Euler top with moment of inertia tensor I, and let S : R →
SO(3) be a motion with constant angular momentum p 6= 0 and constant
kinetic energy K > 0. Recall that if we set Ṡ = SA and Ω = Ω(A), we have
the relations
1
p = SP, P = IΩ K = (P, Ω), Ṗ = P × Ω.
2
Geometric Mechanics, Fall 2024/25, IST 2

p
Let n = kpk , and let e, f ∈ R3 be unit vectors such that (e, f, n) is a right-
handed orthonormal frame. Show that e and f are rotating about n with
2K
angular velocity kpk , so that

2K 2K
ė = f, f˙ = − e,
kpk kpk
then the vectors E, F defined by

e = SE, f = SF,

regarded as tangent vectors to the sphere {kP k = kpk} at P , are parallel


transported along the curve described by the moving point P . (This gives
a picture of the Euler top motion provided one knows the motion of P : if
R(t) is the rotation about n by 2Kt
kpk
and T (t) is the rotation that effects the
parallel transport from P (0) to P (t), then S(t) = R(t)S(0)T −1 (t).)
6. (Ice skate) Recall that our model for an ice skate is given by the non-
holonomic constraint Σ defined on R2 × S 1 by the kernel of the 1-form ω =
− sin θdx + cos θdy.
a) Show that the ice skate can access all points in the configuration space:
given two points p, q ∈ R2 × S 1 there exists a piecewise smooth curve
c : [0, 1] → R2 × S 1 compatible with Σ such that c(0) = p and c(1) = q.
Why does this show that Σ is non-integrable?
b) Assuming that the kinetic energy of the skate is
M  I 2
K= (v x )2 + (v y )2 + v θ
2 2
and that the reaction force is perfect, show that the skate moves with
constant speed along straight lines or circles. What is the physical
interpretation of the reaction force?

Due December 6

7. (Charged particle in a stationary electromagnetic field) The motion of a


particle with mass m > 0 and charge e ∈ R in a stationary electromagnetic
field is determined by the Lagrangian L : T R3 → R given by
1
L = m(v, v) + e(A, v) − e Φ,
2
where (·, ·) is the Euclidean inner product, Φ ∈ C ∞ (R3 ) is the electric po-
tential and A ∈ X (R3 ) is the magnetic vector potential.
Geometric Mechanics, Fall 2024/25, IST 3

a) Show that the equations of motion are

mẍ = eE + eẋ × B,

where E = −grad Φ is the electric field and B = curl A is the magnetic


field.
b) Write an expression for the Hamiltonian function and use the equations
of motion to check that it is constant along any motion.
c) Use Noether’s Theorem to show that if there exists a vector u ∈ R3
such that u · Φ = 0 and ∇u A = 0, then the quantity

J = (mẋ + eA, u)

is conserved along the motions of the particle.

8. If (M, ( · , · )) is a compact Riemannian manifold, it is known that there


exists a nontrivial periodic geodesic. Use this fact to show that if m is
compact then any conservative mechanical system (M, ( · , · ), −dU) admits
an infinite number of nontrivial periodic motions.
9. Let (M, ( · , · )) be a compact Riemannian manifold and p ∈ M. Show
that there exists a neighborhood V of p and a geodesic γ : R → M such that
γ −1 (V ) is disconnected.

Due December 21

10. Let M be the cone of aperture α ∈ 0, π2 , parameterized by




φ : (0, +∞) × (0, 2π) → R3 ,

φ(ρ, ϕ) = (ρ cos ϕ, ρ sin ϕ, ρ cot α).


The metric induced on M by the Euclidean metric of R3 is
1
g= dρ ⊗ dρ + ρ2 dϕ ⊗ dϕ.
sin2 α
Consider a particle of unit mass, moving on this surface under the action of
a perfect reaction force and the gravitational potential energy

U(x, y, z) = gz.

a) Write the equations of motion and check that the “parallels” Pr := {ρ =


r} are images of motions.
Geometric Mechanics, Fall 2024/25, IST 4

b) Compute the Legendre transformation, show that L is hyper-regular,


and prove that the Hamiltonian H : T ∗ M → R is completely integrable.
c) Let l 6= 0. Calculate

k0 := min{H(β) : pϕ (β) = l}.

d) Let l 6= 0 and k > k0 . Sketch the intersection of the level set

L(k,l) = {β ∈ T ∗ M : H(β) = k, pϕ (β) = l}

with the plane (ρ, ϕ0 , pρ , (pϕ )0 ), for fixed ϕ0 and (pϕ )0 = l.


e) Let φ1,t be the flow of XH and φ2,t be the flow of Xpϕ . Check that
e2 := (0, 2π) is in the isotropy group of the action of R2 on L(k,l) , given
by
A(t1 , t2 , β) = (φ1,t1 ◦ φ2,t2 )(β).
In terms of a solution of Hamilton’s equations, give a vector e1 ∈ R2
such that the isotropy group of β is the spanZ {e1 , e2 }.
f) Describe L(k0 ,l) for l 6= 0.
g) Show that motions with image Pr are stable (that is, motions with
sufficiently close initial conditions remain close to Pr ).
h) Describe L(k,0) for k > 0.
i) Consider from now on the case where g = 0. Describe L(k,l) for both k
and l positive.
j) Describe L(k,0) for k positive.
k) Finally, describe L(0,0) .

11. Let M = R2 \ {0} and consider the Lagrangian function L : T M → R


given in polar coordinates by
 
r θ 1 r 2 2 θ 2
 1 2 1
L(r, θ, v , v ) = (v ) + r (v ) − r + 2
2 2 r
which models, in appropriate units, an elastic ring of variable radius r rota-
ting around its center in the plane that contains it (θ is the rotation angle).

a) Write the Euler-Lagrange equations.


b) Determine all solution with constant r, and in particular all equilibrium
points.
c) Show that L is hyper-regular, and compute the Hamiltonian function
H : T ∗ M → R.
d) Show that H is completely integrable.
e) Prove that all the solutions with constant r found in b) are stable.
Geometric Mechanics, Fall 2024/25, IST 5

f ) Consider now the system formed by two such elastic rings rolling without
slipping against each other, so that r1 θ̇1 + r2 θ̇2 = 0. Show that this is
a true non-holonomic constraint, and write the equations of motion
assuming a perfect reaction force.

You might also like