Meaning of the supra- and sub-indexes in tensor notation

general-relativitymultilinear-algebratensors

I am pretty sure that a tensor $T^2_3,$ a type $(2,3),$ is a multilinear map

$$V^*\times V ^*\times V \times V\times V \rightarrow R$$

In other words, it is a mathematical object composed of $\color{red}2$ vectors, $T^\color{red}2_3,$ and $\color{blue}3$ covectors, $T^2_\color{blue}3,$ expecting to contract with corresponding $2$ covectors, i.e. the $\color{red}{V^* \times V^*}$ part of the Cartesian product in the mapping, and $3$ vectors, i.e. the last three components of the Cartesian product: $\color{blue}{V\times V\times V}.$

Although in no way this question is intended to expose what it may be a slight "careless" mistake, it is critical to point out the source of the issue, which lies in this accepted answer in Physics.SE, where the assertion is made that such tensor corresponds instead to a multilinear map

$$V\times V \times V^* \times V^* \times V^* \rightarrow R,$$

which would have vectors "eating" vectors, and covectors "eating" covectors, unless there is some uncertainty in the notation that I would like to find out.

Hence the question is whether the standard notation for a tensor is

$$T^{\small\text{no. of contravariant elements or vectors}}_{\small\text{no. of covariant elements or covectors}}$$

In this particular instance, the basis of the tensor could be

$$T^2_3 e_\mu\otimes e_\nu \otimes \varepsilon^\delta \otimes \varepsilon^\rho\otimes \varepsilon^\gamma$$

which would act on the corresponding bases

$$T^2_3 e_\mu\otimes e_\nu \otimes \varepsilon^\delta \otimes \varepsilon^\rho\otimes \varepsilon^\gamma\left(\varepsilon^\mu, \varepsilon^\nu, e_\delta, e_\rho, e_\gamma \right).$$

This mistakes are easy to make, as at this point in this youtube presentation.

The question is

Are my assertions above correct, or is there some leeway in interpreting the meaning of the indexes in $T^2_3$?

Best Answer

I'm not entirely sure I followed what your issue is, but it seems to be notational in nature, so perhaps the following exposition will be helpful.

Let $V$ be a real linear space with associated dual $V^*$. If $T$ is a $(k,l)$- tensor, then $T$ is a multilinear map $$T:\underbrace{V^*\times\cdots\times V^*}_{k-\text{times}}\times\underbrace{V\times\cdots\times V}_{l-\text{times}}\to\mathbb{R}.$$

In particular, if $T$ is a $(2,3)$-tensor, and $\{e_j\}$ is a basis for $V$ with associated dual basis $\{\epsilon^j\}$ for $V^*$, i.e., $e_i(\epsilon^j)=\delta_i^j$, then in component form, we have that (using Einstein's summation notation) $$T=T_{abc}^{ij} e_i\otimes e_j\otimes\epsilon^a\otimes\epsilon^b\otimes\epsilon^c.$$ If $X=X^je_j,$ $Y=Y^je_j$, $Z=Z^je_j$ are three vectors and $\alpha=\alpha_j\epsilon^j,$ $\beta=\beta_j\epsilon^j$ are two covectors, then $$T(\alpha,\beta,X,Y,Z)=T_{abc}^{ij}\alpha_i\beta_jX^aY^bZ^c.$$

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