The Euler-Lagrange Cohomology Groups on Symplectic Manifolds

Abstract

The definition and properties of the Euler-Lagrange cohomology groups $H^{2k-1}$, $1 \leqslant k \leqslant n$, on a symplectic manifold $({\cal M}^{2n},\omega)$ are given and studied. For $k = 1$ and $k = n$, they are isomorphic to the corresponding de Rham cohomology groups $H_{dR}^1({\cal M}^{2n})$ and $H_{dR}^{2n-1}({\cal M}^{2n})$, respectively. The other Euler-Lagrange cohomology groups are different from either the de Rham cohomology groups or the harmonic cohomology groups on $({\cal M}^{2n},\omega)$, in general. The general volume-preserving equations on $({\cal M}^{2n},\omega)$ are also presented from cohomological point of view. In the special cases, these equations become the ordinary canonical equations in the Hamilton mechanics. Therefore, the Hamilton mechanics has been generalized via the cohomology.