Specifying holomorphic $1$-forms on an atlas

algebraic-curvesdefinitiondifferential-formsriemann-surfaces

On page 106 of Miranda's book "Algebraic Curves and Riemann Surfaces" he writes:

To define a holomorphic $1$-form on a Riemann surface, one does not need to actually give a holomorphic $1$-form on every chart, but only the charts of some atlas:
Lemma 1.4. Let $X$ be a Riemann surface and $A$ a complex atlas on $X$.Suppose that holomorphic $1$-forms aregien for each chart of $A$, which transform to each other on their common domains. Then there exists a unique holomorphic $1$-form on $X$ extendig these holomorphic $1$-forms on each of the charts of $A$.
Proof. Let $\psi$ be a chart of $X$ not in the atlas; our task is to define the holomorphic $1$-form with respect to $\psi$ or, equivalently, interms of the local coordinate $w$ of $\psi$. Fix a point $p$ in the domain of $\psi$, and choose the chart $\phi$ in the last containing $p$ inits domain; let $z$ be the associated local variable.Let $f(z)dz$ be the holomorphic $1$-form with respect to $\phi$. Then simply define the holomorphic $1$-form with respect to $\psi$ as $f(T(w))T'(w)dw$, where $z=T(w)$ describes the change of coordinates $\phi\circ \psi^{-1}$.

I am struggling to verify that this definition is independent of the choice of $\phi$. How does one do that?

Best Answer

In short, the chain rule is your friend.

In greater detail, fix a point $p$ in the domain of $\psi$. Choose two charts $\phi_1$ and $\phi_2$ in the given atlas, both containing $p$ in their domain. Using Miranda's terminology, denote by $z$, $v$ and $w$ be the local variables associated to $\phi_1$, $\phi_2$ and $\psi$, respectively. Let $f(z)dz$ be the holomorphic $1$-form with respect to the chart $\phi_1$. Since the holomorphic $1$-form with respect to the chart $\phi_1$ transforms to the holomorphic $1$-form with respect to the chart $\phi_2$ on the common domain of $\phi_1$ and $\phi_2$, the holomorphic $1$-form with respect to $\phi_2$ is given by $$(f\circ\phi_1\circ\phi_2^{-1})(v)\cdot(\phi_1\circ \phi_2^{-1})'(v)dv. \tag{1}$$

If, following Miranda, we define the holomorphic $1$-form with respect to $\psi$ by using the chart $\phi_1$, we obtain $$\big(f\circ \phi_1\circ \psi^{-1}\big)\big(w\big)\cdot\big(\phi_1\circ \psi^{-1}\big)'\big(w\big)dw.\tag{2}$$

On the other hand, if we use the chart $\phi_2$, the expression $(1)$ yields $$\big(f\circ\phi_1\circ\phi_2^{-1}\circ\phi_2\circ\psi^{-1}\big)\big(w\big)\cdot\big(\phi_1\circ\phi_2^{-1}\big)'\big(\phi_2(\psi^{-1}(w))\big)\cdot\big(\phi_2\circ\psi^{-1}\big)'\big(w\big)dw.\tag{3}$$

By $(2)$ and $(3)$, showing that the definition of the holomorphic $1$-form with respect to $\psi$ is independent of the choice of chart amounts to proving the following equality $$\big(f\circ \phi_1\circ \psi^{-1}\big)\big(w\big)\cdot\big(\phi_1\circ \psi^{-1}\big)'\big(w\big)= \big(f\circ\phi_1\circ\phi_2^{-1}\circ\phi_2\circ\psi^{-1}\big)\big(w\big)\cdot\big(\phi_1\circ\phi_2^{-1}\big)'\big(\phi_2(\psi^{-1}(w))\big)\cdot\big(\phi_2\circ\psi^{-1}\big)'\big(w\big).$$

Now, the subsequent equality clearly holds $$\big(f\circ \phi_1\circ \psi^{-1}\big)\big(w\big)= \big(f\circ\phi_1\circ\phi_2^{-1}\circ\phi_2\circ\psi^{-1}\big)\big(w\big).$$ By employing the chain rule, we additionally see that $$\big(\phi_1\circ \psi^{-1}\big)'\big(w\big)= \big(\phi_1\circ\phi_2^{-1}\circ\phi_2\circ \psi^{-1}\big)'\big(w\big)= \big(\phi_1\circ\phi_2^{-1}\big)'\big(\phi_2(\psi^{-1}(w))\big)\cdot\big(\phi_2\circ\psi^{-1}\big)'\big(w\big).$$ This proves that the definition of the holomorphic $1$-form with respect to $\psi$ is independent of the choice of chart.

Related Question