arXiv subjects

Tom Mestdag

Publications and source records attributed to Tom Mestdag.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

The Cartan-K\"ahler theorem for exterior differential systems on transitive Lie algebroids

The notion of an exterior differential system (on a manifold) has recently been extended to the setting of a Lie algebroid. Here, we further develop the theory and we present two versions of the Cartan-K\"ahler theorem in the case where the anchor map of the Lie algebroid is surjective. We give an illustrative example and, as a concrete application, we make use of our results in a specific case of the so-called invariant inverse problem of the calculus of variations.

math.DG↗

arXiv2025

Projective geodesic extensions by conformal modifications in nonholonomic mechanics

Projective geodesic extensions are reparametrizations of the trajectories of a nonholonomic mechanical system (with only a kinetic energy Lagrangian), in such a way that they can be interpreted as part of the geodesics of a Riemannian metric. We derive necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of these extensions, in the case where the constrained Lagrangian remains preserved up to a conformal transformation. When the nonholonomic system has a symmetry group (a Chaplygin system), we clarify the relation between projective geodesic extensions and closely related concepts, such as ${\phi}$-simplicity, invariant measures and Hamiltonization. Throughout the paper, new and relevant examples illustrate the key differences between all these concepts.

math.DG↗

arXiv2025

Exterior differential systems on Lie algebroids and the invariant inverse problem of the calculus of variations

We extend the theory of exterior differential systems from manifolds and their tangent bundles to Lie algebroids. In particular, we define the concept of an integral manifold of such an exterior differential system. We support our developments with several examples, including an application to dynamical systems with a symmetry group and to the invariant inverse problem of the calculus of variations.

math.DG↗

arXiv2024

Geodesic extensions of mechanical systems with nonholonomic constraints

For a Lagrangian system with nonholonomic constraints, we construct extensions of the equations of motion to sets of second-order ordinary differential equations. In the case of a purely kinetic Lagrangian, we investigate the conditions under which the nonholonomic trajectories are geodesics of a Riemannian metric, while preserving the constrained Lagrangian. We interpret the algebraic and PDE conditions of this problem as infinitesimal versions of the relation between the nonholonomic exponential map and the Riemannian metric. We discuss the special case of a Chaplygin system with symmetries and we end the paper with a worked-out example.

math.DG↗

arXiv2023

Conditions for symmetry reduction of polysymplectic and polycosymplectic structures

For Hamiltonian field theories on polysymplectic manifolds with a symmetry group action and a momentum map, we explore the redundancy in a set of necessary conditions that has appeared in the literature, for a generalized version of the Marsden-Weinstein symmetry reduction theorem. Next, we prove a necessary and sufficient condition for polycosymplectic reduction. We relate polycosymplectic reduction in a one-to-one way to the reduction of an associated larger polysymplectic manifold. Throughout the paper, we provide examples and discuss special cases.

math-ph↗

arXiv2022

Cotangent bundle reduction and Routh reduction for polysymplectic manifolds

We discuss Lagrangian and Hamiltonian field theories that are invariant under a symmetry group. We apply the polysymplectic reduction theorem for both types of field equations and we investigate aspects of the corresponding reconstruction process. We identify the polysymplectic structures that lie at the basis of cotangent bundle reduction and Routh reduction in this setting and we relate them by means of the Routhian function and its associated Legendre transformation. We end the paper with examples that illustrate the applicability of our results.

math-ph↗

arXiv2016

Un-Reduction of Systems of Second-Order Ordinary Differential Equations

In this paper we consider an alternative approach to "un-reduction". This is the process where one associates to a Lagrangian system on a manifold a dynamical system on a principal bundle over that manifold, in such a way that solutions project. We show that, when written in terms of second-order ordinary differential equations (SODEs), one may associate to the first system a (what we have called) "primary un-reduced SODE", and we explain how all other un-reduced SODEs relate to it. We give examples that show that the considered procedure exceeds the realm of Lagrangian systems and that relate our results to those in the literature.

math.DG↗

arXiv2016

Implicit Lagrange-Routh Equations and Dirac Reduction

In this paper, we make a generalization of Routh's reduction method for Lagrangian systems with symmetry to the case where not any regularity condition is imposed on the Lagrangian. First, we show how implicit Lagrange-Routh equations can be obtained from the Hamilton-Pontryagin principle, by making use of an anholonomic frame, and how these equations can be reduced. To do this, we keep the momentum constraint implicit throughout and we make use of a Routhian function defined on a certain submanifold of the Pontryagin bundle. Then, we show how the reduced implicit Lagrange-Routh equations can be described in the context of dynamical systems associated to Dirac structures, in which we fully utilize a symmetry reduction procedure for implicit Hamiltonian systems with symmetry.

math.DG↗

arXiv2011

Routh Reduction by Stages

This paper deals with the Lagrangian analogue of symplectic or point reduction by stages. We develop Routh reduction as a reduction technique that preserves the Lagrangian nature of the dynamics. To do so we heavily rely on the relation between Routh reduction and cotangent symplectic reduction. The main results in this paper are: (i) we develop a class of so called magnetic Lagrangian systems and this class has the property that it is closed under Routh reduction; (ii) we construct a transformation relating the magnetic Lagrangian system obtained after two subsequent Routh reductions and the magnetic Lagrangian system obtained after Routh reduction w.r.t. to the full symmetry group.

math-ph↗

arXiv2004

A Lie algebroid framework for non-holonomic systems

In order to obtain a framework in which both non-holonomic mechanical systems and non-holonomic mechanical systems with symmetry can be described, we introduce in this paper the notion of a Lagrangian system on a subbundle of a Lie algebroid.

math.DG↗

arXiv2003

The Berwald-type linearisation of generalised connections

We study the existence of a natural `linearisation' process for generalised connections on an affine bundle. It is shown that this leads to an affine generalised connection over a prolonged bundle, which is the analogue of what is called a connection of Berwald type in the standard theory of connections. Various new insights are being obtained in the fine structure of affine bundles over an anchored vector bundle and affineness of generalised connections on such bundles.

math.DG↗

arXiv2002

Lie algebroid structures and Lagrangian systems on affine bundles

As a continuation of previous papers, we study the concept of a Lie algebroid structure on an affine bundle by means of the canonical immersion of the affine bundle into its bidual. We pay particular attention to the prolongation and various lifting procedures, and to the geometrical construction of Lagrangian-type dynamics on an affine Lie algebroid.

math.DG↗