Cartan–Kuranishi prolongation theorem

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Given an exterior differential system defined on a manifold M, the Cartan–Kuranishi prolongation theorem says that after a finite number of prolongations the system is either in involution (admits at least one 'large' integral manifold), or is impossible.

History[edit]

The theorem is named after Élie Cartan and Masatake Kuranishi. Cartan made several attempts in 1946 to prove the result, but it was in 1957 that Kuranishi provided a proof of Cartan's conjecture.[1]

Applications[edit]

This theorem is used in infinite-dimensional Lie theory.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Bryant, Robert L.; Chern, S. S.; Gardner, Robert B.; Goldschmidt, Hubert L.; Griffiths, P. A. (2013-06-29). Exterior Differential Systems. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-4613-9714-4.