A covering of a topological space is a continuous map with special properties.

Definition edit

Let   be a topological space. A covering of   is a continuous map

 

s.t. there exists a discrete space   and for every   an open neighborhood  , s.t.   and   is a homeomorphism for every  .

 
Intuitively, a covering locally project a "stack of pancakes" above an open neighborhood   onto  

Often, the notion of a covering is used for the covering space   as well as for the map  . The open sets   are called sheets, which are uniquely determined if   is connected.[1]  For a   the discrete subset   is called the fiber of  . The degree of a covering is the cardinality of the space  . If   is path-connected, then the covering   is denoted as a path-connected covering.



Examples edit

  • For every topological space   there exists the covering   with  , which is denoted as the trivial covering of  
 
The space   is the covering space of  . The disjoint open sets   are mapped homeomorphically onto  . The fiber of   consists of the points  .
  • The map   with   is a covering of the unit circle  . For an open neighborhood   of an  , which has positiv  -value, one has:  .
  • Another covering of the unit circle is the map   with   for some  . For an open neighborhood   of an  , one has:  .
  • A map which is a local homeomorphism but not a covering of the unit circle is   with  . There is a sheet of an open neighborhood of  , which is not mapped homeomorphically onto  .

Properties edit

Local homeomorphism edit

Since a covering   maps each of the disjoint open sets of   homeomorphically onto   it is a local homeomorphism, i.e.   is a continuous map and for every   there exists an open neighborhood   of  , s.t.   is a homeomorphism.

It follows that the covering space   and the base space   locally share the same properties.

  • If   is a connected and non-orientable manifold, then there is a covering   of degree  , whereby   is a connected and orientable manifold.[1] 
  • If   is a connected Lie group, then there is a covering   which is also a Lie group homomorphism and   is a Lie group.[2]  
  • If   is a graph, then it follows for a covering   that   is also a graph.[1]  
  • If   is a connected manifold, then there is a covering  , whereby   is a connected and simply connected manifold.[3]  
  • If   is a connected Riemann surface, then there is a covering   which is also a holomorphic map[3]   and   is a connected and simply connected Riemann surface.[3]  

Factorisation edit

Let   and   be continuous maps, s.t. the diagram

 

commutes.

  • If   and   are coverings, so is  .[4]  
  • If   and   are coverings, so is  .[4]  

Product of coverings edit

Let   and   be topological spaces and   and   be coverings, then   with   is a covering.[4]  

Equivalence of coverings edit

Let   be a topological space and   and   be coverings. Both coverings are called equivalent, if there exists a homeomorphism  , s.t. the diagram

 

commutes. If such a homeomorphism exists, then one calls the covering spaces   and   isomorphic.

Lifting property edit

An important property of the covering is, that it satisfies the lifting property, i.e.:

Let   be the unit interval and   be a covering. Let   be a continuous map and   be a lift of  , i.e. a continuous map such that  . Then there is a uniquely determined, continuous map  , which is a lift of  , i.e.  .[1]  

If   is a path-connected space, then for   it follows that the map   is a lift of a path in   and for   it is a lift of a homotopy of paths in  .

Because of that property one can show, that the fundamental group   of the unit circle is an infinite cyclic group, which is generated by the homotopy classes of the loop   with  .[1]  

Let   be a path-connected space and   be a connected covering. Let   be any two points, which are connected by a path  , i.e.   and  . Let   be the unique lift of  , then the map

  with  

is bijective.[1]  

If   is a path-connected space and   a connected covering, then the induced group homomorphism

  with  ,

is injective and the subgroup   of   consists of the homotopy classes of loops in  , whose lifts are loops in  .[1]  

Branched covering edit

Definitions edit

Holomorphic maps between Riemann surfaces edit

Let   and   be Riemann surfaces, i.e. one dimensional complex manifolds, and let   be a continuous map.   is holomorphic in a point  , if for any charts   of   and   of  , with  , the map   is holomorphic.

If   is for all   holomorphic, we say   is holomorphic.

The map   is called the local expression of   in  .

If   is a non-constant, holomorphic map between compact Riemann surfaces, then   is surjective[3]   and an open map[3]  , i.e. for every open set   the image   is also open.

Ramification point and branch point edit

Let   be a non-constant, holomorphic map between compact Riemann surfaces. For every   there exist charts for   and   and there exists a uniquely determined  , s.t. the local expression   of   in   is of the form  .[3]   The number   is called the ramification index of   in   and the point   is called a ramification point if  . If   for an  , then   is unramified. The image point   of a ramification point is called a branch point.

Degree of a holomorphic map edit

Let   be a non-constant, holomorphic map between compact Riemann surfaces. The degree   of   is the cardinality of the fiber of an unramified point  , i.e.  .

This number is well-defined, since for every   the fiber   is discrete[3]   and for any two unramified points  , it is:  [3]  

It can be calculated by:

  [3]  

Branched covering edit

Definition edit

A continuous map   is called a branched covering, if there exists a closed set with dense complement  , s.t.   is a covering.

Examples edit

  • Let   and  , then   with   is branched covering of degree  , whereby   is a branch point.
  • Every non-constant, holomorphic map between compact Riemann surfaces   of degree   is a branched covering of degree  .

Universal covering edit

Let   be a simply connected covering and   be a covering, then there exists a uniquely determined covering  , s.t. the diagram

 

commutes.[4]  

Definition edit

Let   be a simply connected covering. If   is another simply connected covering, then there exists a uniquely determined homeomorphism  , s.t. the diagram

 

commutes.[4]  

This means that   is, up to equivalence, uniquely determined and because of that universal property denoted as the universal covering of the space  .

Existence edit

A universal covering does not always exists, but the following properties guarantee the existence:

Let   be a connected, locally simply connected, then there exists a universal covering  .

  is defined as   and   by  .[1]  

The topology on   is constructed as follows: Let   be a path with  . Let   be a simply connected neighborhood of the endpoint  , then for every   the paths   inside   from   to   are uniquely determined up to homotopy. Now consider  , then   with   is a bijection and   can be equipped with the final topology of  .

The fundamental group   acts freely through   on   and   with   is a homeomorphism, i.e.  .

Examples edit

  •   with   is the universal covering of the unit circle  .
  •   with   is the universal covering of the projective space   for  .
  •   with   is the universal covering of the unitary group  .[5]
  • Since  , it follows that the quotient map   is the universal covering of the  .
     
    The Hawaiian earring. Only the ten largest circles are shown.
  • A topological space, which has no universal covering is the Hawaiian earring:
 
One can show, that no neighborhood of the origin   is simply connected.[4]  

Deck transformation edit

Definition edit

Let   be a covering. A deck transformation is a homeomorphism  , s.t. the diagram of continuous maps

 

commutes. Together with the composition of maps, the set of deck transformation forms a group  , which is the same as  .

Examples edit

  • Let   be the covering   for some  , then the map   is a deck transformation and  .
  • Let   be the covering  , then the map   with   is a deck transformation and  .

Properties edit

Let   be a path-connected space and   be a connected covering. Since a deck transformation   is bijective, it permutes the elements of a fiber   with   and is uniquely determined by where it sends a single point. In particular, only the identity map fixes a point in the fiber.[1]  Because of this property every deck transformation defines a group action on  , i.e. let   be an open neighborhood of a   and   an open neighborhood of an  , then   is a group action.

Normal coverings edit

Definition edit

A covering   is called normal, if  . This means, that for every   and any two   there exists a deck transformation  , s.t.  .

Properties edit

Let   be a path-connected space and   be a connected covering. Let   be a subgroup of  , then   is a normal covering iff   is a normal subgroup of  .[1]  

If   is a normal covering and  , then  .[1]  

If   is a path-connected covering and  , then  , whereby   is the normaliser of  .[1]  

Let   be a topological space. A group   acts discontinuously on  , if every   has an open neighborhood   with  , such that for every   with   one has  .

If a group   acts discontinuously on a topological space  , then the quotient map   with   is a normal covering.[1]   Hereby   is the quotient space and   is the orbit of the group action.

Examples edit

  • The covering   with   is a normal coverings for every  .
  • Every simply connected covering is a normal covering.

Calculation edit

Let   be a group, which acts discontinuously on a topological space   and let   be the normal covering.

  • If   is path-connected, then  .[1]  
  • If   is simply connected, then  .[1]  

Examples edit

  • Let  . The antipodal map   with   generates, together with the composition of maps, a group   and induces a group action  , which acts discontinuously on  . Because of   it follows, that the quotient map   is a normal covering and for   a universal covering, hence   for  .
  • Let   be the special orthogonal group, then the map   is a normal covering and because of  , it is the universal covering, hence  .
  • With the group action   of   on  , whereby   is the semidirect product  , one gets the universal covering   of the klein bottle  , hence  .
  • Let   be the torus which is embedded in the  . Then one gets a homeomorphism  , which induces a discontinuous group action  , whereby  . It follows, that the map   is a normal covering of the klein bottle, hence  .
  • Let   be embedded in the  . Since the group action   is discontinuously, whereby   are coprime, the map   is the universal covering of the lens space  , hence  .

Galois correspondence edit

Let   be a connected and locally simply connected space, then for every subgroup   there exists a path-connected covering   with  .[1]  

Let   and   be two path-connected coverings, then they are equivalent iff the subgroups   and   are conjugate to each other.[4]  

Let   be a connected and locally simply connected space, then, up to equivalence between coverings, there is a bijection:

 

For a sequence of subgroups   one gets a sequence of coverings  . For a subgroup   with index  , the covering   has degree  .

Classification edit

Definitions edit

Category of coverings edit

Let   be a topological space. The objects of the category   are the coverings   of   and the morphisms between two coverings   and   are continuous maps  , s.t. the diagram

 

commutes.

G-Set edit

Let   be a topological group. The category   is the category of sets which are G-sets. The morphisms are G-maps   between G-sets. They satisfy the condition   for every  .

Equivalence edit

Let   be a connected and locally simply connected space,   and   be the fundamental group of  . Since   defines, by lifting of paths and evaluating at the endpoint of the lift, a group action on the fiber of a covering, the functor   is an equivalence of categories.[1]  

Literatur edit

  • Allen Hatcher: Algebraic Topology. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, ISBN 0-521-79160-X
  • Otto Forster: Lectures on Riemann surfaces. Springer Berlin, München 1991, ISBN 978-3-540-90617-9
  • James Munkres: Topology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc., ©2000, ISBN 978-0-13-468951-7
  • Wolfgang Kühnel: Matrizen und Lie-Gruppen. Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH, Stuttgart, ISBN 978-3-8348-9905-7
  • Maximiliano Aguilar and Miguel Socolovsky: The Universal Covering Group of U(n) and Projective Representations. Hrsg.: International Journal of Theoretical Physics. Dezember 1999

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Hatcher, Allen (2001). Algebraic Topology. Cambridge: Cambridge Univ. Press. ISBN 0-521-79160-X.
  2. ^ Kühnel, Wolfgang. Matrizen und Lie-Gruppen. Stuttgart: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH. ISBN 978-3-8348-9905-7.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Forster, Otto (1991). Lectures on Riemann surfaces. München: Springer Berlin. ISBN 978-3-540-90617-9.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Munkres, James (2000). Topology. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc. ISBN 978-0-13-468951-7.
  5. ^ Aguilar, Maximiliano; Socolovsky, Miguel (December 1999). "The Universal Covering Group of U(n) and Projective Representations". International Journal of Theoretical Physics: 5 Theorem 1.