| 释义 |
Riemann–Christoffel Math.|ˌriːmənˈkrɪstəfəl|
[f. prec. + the name of E. B. Christoffel (1829–1900), German mathematician.]
Used to designate a tensor of the fourth order whose components are functions of a co-variant co-ordinate system and the corresponding contravariant system, and which occurs in the mathematical description of curved space-time.
1918A. S. Eddington Rep. Relativity Theory of Gravitation iii. 40 The required equations of the law of gravitation must, therefore, include the vanishing of the Riemann–Christoffel tensor as a special case. 1956G. C. McVittie Gen. Relativity & Cosmol. ii. 30 In relativity theory applications of the tensor calculus a very important part is played by a symmetrical tensor of rank two, called the Ricci tensor, which is obtained by contraction from the Riemann–Christoffel tensor. 1974Encycl. Brit. Micropædia VIII. 580/2 The Riemannian curvature is obtained by first contracting the Riemann–Christoffel curvature tensor, applying it to two vectors spanning the subspace in question, and then dividing by the area of the parallelogram formed from the vectors. |