Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
1894347 Journal of Geometry and Physics 2009 15 Pages PDF
Abstract
Given a complex structure J on a real (finite or infinite dimensional) Hilbert space H, we study the geometry of the Lagrangian Grassmannian Λ(H) of H, i.e. the set of closed linear subspaces L⊂H such that J(L)=L⊥. The complex unitary group U(HJ), consisting of the elements of the orthogonal group of H which are complex linear for the given complex structure, acts transitively on Λ(H) and induces a natural linear connection in Λ(H). It is shown that any pair of Lagrangian subspaces can be joined by a geodesic of this connection. A Finsler metric can also be introduced, if one regards subspaces L as projections pL (=the orthogonal projection onto L) or symmetries ϵL=2pL−I, namely measuring tangent vectors with the operator norm. We show that for this metric the Hopf-Rinow theorem is valid in Λ(H): a geodesic joining a pair of Lagrangian subspaces can be chosen to be of minimal length. A similar result holds for the unitary orbit of a Lagrangian subspace under the action of the k-Schatten unitary group (2≤k≤∞), with the Finsler metric given by the k-norm.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Mathematics Mathematical Physics
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