Analysis – Area-Preserving Transformations and $|\det|=+1$

analysisarea

Why is a (not necessarily linear) mapping $f:\mathbb{R}^n\rightarrow \mathbb{R}^n$ area- and orientation preserving iff the determinant of its jacobian is $\pm 1$ ?

(I understand by an area-preserving mapping $f$ a mapping $f$ such that the measure $m(f^{-1}(A))=m(A)$, where $m(\cdot)$ denotes the measure of a measurable set $A$.)

I have no idea how to prove this… but I'd also be happy with a reference.
(I'd also be happy for a sketch of the proof for a less general definition of "area-preserving", where $A$ is not just any measurable set, but a polytope – this definition would work easier with the concept of determinant since the volumen of a polytope is just the absolute value of the determinant of the vector that represent it's edges.)
Googling didn't get me anything.

Best Answer

In dynamical systems or ergodic theory it is preferable to call a map $f:\>X\to Y$ measure preserving (or area preserving when $X$ and $Y$ are surfaces) if $$\mu\bigl(f^{-1}(B)\bigr)=\mu(B)\qquad\forall B\subset Y\ .\tag{1}$$ This allows for functions that are many-to-one to be measure preseving nevertheless. But using this definition the Jacobian determinant need not have absolute value $1$. For instance, the map $$f:\quad S^1\to S^1,\qquad e^{it}\mapsto e^{2it}$$ is measure preserving, but its Jacobian determinant is $=2$.

When $f$ is essentially injective then $(1)$ can be replaced by $$\mu\bigl(f(A)\bigr)=\mu(A)\qquad\forall A\subset X\ .$$ Now it is proven in calculus that when $f$ is essentially injective and $f(A)=B$ then for any reasonable function $g:B\to{\mathbb R}$ one has $$\int_B g(x)\ {\rm d}(x)=\int_Ag\bigl(f(u)\bigr)\>|J_f(u)|\>{\rm d}(u)\ .$$ Putting $g(x):\equiv 1$ here gives $$\mu\bigl(f(A)\bigr)=\mu(B)=\int_B 1\ {\rm d}(x)=\int_A |J_f(u)|\>{\rm d}(u)\ .$$ Here the right hand side can only be $=\mu(A)$ for every $A\subset X$ if $|J_f(u)|\equiv1$.

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