Tensor density

In differential geometry, a tensor density or relative tensor is a generalization of the tensor concept. A tensor density transforms as a tensor when passing from one coordinate system to another (see classical treatment of tensors), except that it is additionally multiplied or weighted by a power W of the Jacobian determinant of the coordinate transition function or its absolute value. A distinction is made among (authentic) tensor densities, pseudotensor densities, even tensor densities and odd tensor densities. Sometimes tensor densities with a negative weight W are called tensor capacity. A tensor density can also be regarded as a section of the tensor product of a tensor bundle with a density bundle.

Some authors classify tensor densities into the two types called (authentic) tensor densities and pseudotensor densities in this article. Other authors classify them differently, into the types called even tensor densities and odd tensor densities. When a tensor density weight is an integer there is an equivalence between these approaches that depends upon whether the integer is even or odd.

Note that these classifications elucidate the different ways that tensor densities may transform somewhat pathologically under orientation-reversing coordinate transformations. Regardless of their classifications into these types, there is only one way that tensor densities transform under orientation-preserving coordinate transformations.

In this article we have chosen the convention that assigns a weight of +2 to the determinant of the metric tensor expressed with covariant indices. With this choice, classical densities, like charge density, will be represented by tensor densities of weight +1. Some authors use a sign convention for weights that is the negation of that presented here.

For example, a mixed rank-two (authentic) tensor density of weight W transforms as:

where ${\displaystyle {\bar {\mathfrak {T}}}}$ is the rank-two tensor density in the ${\displaystyle {\bar {x}}}$ coordinate system, ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {T}}}$ is the transformed tensor density in the ${\displaystyle {x}}$ coordinate system; and we use the Jacobian determinant. Because the determinant can be negative, which it is for an orientation-reversing coordinate transformation, this formula is applicable only when W is an integer. (However, see even and odd tensor densities below.)

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