"Falling cat" connections and the momentum map

Abstract

We consider a standard symplectic dynamics on TM generated by a natural Lagrangian L. The Lagrangian is assumed to be invariant with respect to the action TR_g of a Lie group G lifted from the free and proper action R_g of G on M. It is shown that under these conditions a connection on principal bundle pi: M \rightarrow M/G can be constructed based on the momentum map corresponding to the action TR_g. The horizontal motion is shown to be in physical terms the one with all the momenta corresponding to the symmetry vanishing. A simple explicit formula for the connection form is given. For the special case of the standard action of G = SO(3) on M = R^3 x ... x R^3 corresponding to a rigid rotation of a N-particle system the formula obtained earlier by Guichardet and Shapere/Wilczek is reproduced.