Metric derivative
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In mathematics, the metric derivative is a notion of derivative appropriate to parametrized paths in metric spaces. It generalizes the notion of "speed" or "absolute velocity" to spaces which have a notion of distance (i.e. metric spaces) but not direction (such as vector spaces).
Contents |
[edit] Defintion
Let (M,d) be a metric space. Let have a limit point at . Let be a path. Then the metric derivative of γ at t, denoted | γ' | (t), is defined by
if this limit exists.
[edit] Properties
Recall that ACp(I; X) is the space of curves γ : I → X such that
for some m in the Lp space Lp(I; R). For γ ∈ ACp(I; X), the metric derivative of γ exists for Lebesgue-almost all times in I, and the metric derivative is the smallest m ∈ Lp(I; R) such that the above inequality holds.
[edit] Example
If Euclidean space is equipped with its usual Euclidean norm , and is the usual Fréchet derivative with respect to time, then
where is the Euclidean metric.
[edit] References
- Ambrosio, L., Gigli, N. & Savaré, G. (2005). Gradient Flows in Metric Spaces and in the Space of Probability Measures. ETH Zürich, Birkhäuser Verlag, Basel. ISBN 3-7643-2428-7.