Connection on a principal $S^1$ bundle

connectionsdifferential-geometryprincipal-bundles

Let $\pi:M\to B$ be a principal $S^1$-bundle over a symplectic manifold $(B,\omega)$.

  1. Is it always possible to construct a vector field $R\in \mathfrak{X}(M)$ such that the $S^1$ action on $M$ is generated by the flow of $R$? If yes, how do you prove it?

  2. Given the existence of this vector field $R$, is it true that a principal connection on this bundle is just a 1-form $\alpha\in \Omega^1M$ satisfying $\mathcal L_R\alpha=0$ and $\alpha(R)=1$? Is it equivalent to the usual conditions of equivariant and normalization?

Best Answer

As noted in the comment by @AndrewDHwang, the fact that $B$ is symplectic is not relevant here, this is just general principal bundle theory. Writing the exponential map of $S^1=U(1)$ as $t\mapsto e^{it}$, you define $R(x):=\tfrac{d}{dt}|_{t=0}x\cdot e^{it}$, where in the right hand side you use the principal right action $M\times S^1\to M$. Then obviously the flow lines of $R$ are the orbits of the $S^1$-action. Morover, by defintion, $R$ is the fundamental vector field corresponding to a $1\in\mathbb R$ where we view $\mathbb R$ as the Lie algebra of $S^1$.

Thus any fundamental vector field can be written as $\lambda R$ for $\lambda\in\mathbb R$ and the fact that $\alpha$ reproduces the generators of fundamental vector fields hence is equivalent to $\alpha(R)=1$. Now $\alpha$ is a principal connection form if in addition it is equivariant for the principal right action and this is easily seen to be equivalent to $\mathcal L_R\alpha=0$.

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