[Math] Does the Hodge star operator commute with 0-forms

differential-geometry

Consider the three differentiable functions $\alpha,\beta,h: \mathbb{R}^2 \to \mathbb{R}$ and the associated 1-forms $d\alpha, d\beta$, with $d$ being the exterior derivative.

Let $*$ be the Hodge star operator. Then, is the following relation true:

$$*(h d\alpha \wedge d\beta) = h *(d\alpha \wedge d\beta),$$

namely that the 0-form $h$ can be swapped with the Hodge star operator?

If so, how can one prove it in general?

Best Answer

Yes, the relation you wrote is true. The Hodge star on any manifold $M$ is a pointwise operator and is $\mathbb{R}$-linear at each point $p$ (i.e., $\ast_p: \Lambda^{\cdot} T_p^\ast M \to \Lambda^{\cdot} T_p^\ast M$ is a linear map between vector spaces). This means that for any differential form $\omega$ and any smooth function $h$, at each point $p$, $$(\ast(h \omega))(p) = \ast_p (h(p) \omega(p)) = h(p) \ast_p(\omega(p)) = h(p)\ast(\omega) (p).$$ (I hope my notation is clear.) Thus $\ast(h\omega) = h \ast(\omega)$.

Said in fancy terms, this property of $\ast$ means that it's a vector bundle homomorphism, or a $C^\infty(M)$-module homomorphism.

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