Fiber bundle construction theorem

In mathematics, the fiber bundle construction theorem is a theorem which constructs a fiber bundle from a given base space, fiber and a suitable set of transition functions. The theorem also gives conditions under which two such bundles are isomorphic. The theorem is important in the associated bundle construction where one starts with a given bundle and surgically replaces the fiber with a new space while keeping all other data the same.

Let X and F be topological spaces and let G be a topological group with a continuous left action on F. Given an open cover {U_i} of X and a set of continuous functions

${\displaystyle t_{ij}:U_{i}\cap U_{j}\to G}$

defined on each nonempty overlap, such that the cocycle condition

${\displaystyle t_{ik}(x)=t_{ij}(x)t_{jk}(x)\qquad \forall x\in U_{i}\cap U_{j}\cap U_{k}}$

holds, there exists a fiber bundle E → X with fiber F and structure group G that is trivializable over {U_i} with transition functions t_ij.

Let E′ be another fiber bundle with the same base space, fiber, structure group, and trivializing neighborhoods, but transition functions t′_ij. If the action of G on F is faithful, then E′ and E are isomorphic if and only if there exist functions

${\displaystyle t_{i}:U_{i}\to G}$

such that

${\displaystyle t'_{ij}(x)=t_{i}(x)^{-1}t_{ij}(x)t_{j}(x)\qquad \forall x\in U_{i}\cap U_{j}.}$

Taking t_i to be constant functions to the identity in G, we see that two fiber bundles with the same base, fiber, structure group, trivializing neighborhoods, and transition functions are isomorphic.

A similar theorem holds in the smooth category, where X and Y are smooth manifolds, G is a Lie group with a smooth left action on Y and the maps t_ij are all smooth.

The proof of the theorem is constructive. That is, it actually constructs a fiber bundle with the given properties. One starts by taking the disjoint union of the product spaces U_i × F

${\displaystyle T=\coprod _{i\in I}U_{i}\times F=\{(i,x,y):i\in I,x\in U_{i},y\in F\}}$

and then forms the quotient by the equivalence relation

${\displaystyle (j,x,y)\sim (i,x,t_{ij}(x)\cdot y)\qquad \forall x\in U_{i}\cap U_{j},y\in F.}$

The total space E of the bundle is T/~ and the projection π : E → X is the map which sends the equivalence class of (i, x, y) to x. The local trivializations

${\displaystyle \phi _{i}:\pi ^{-1}(U_{i})\to U_{i}\times F}$

are then defined by

${\displaystyle \phi _{i}^{-1}(x,y)=[(i,x,y)].}$

Let E → X a fiber bundle with fiber F and structure group G, and let F′ be another left G-space. One can form an associated bundle E′ → X with a fiber F′ and structure group G by taking any local trivialization of E and replacing F by F′ in the construction theorem. If one takes F′ to be G with the action of left multiplication then one obtains the associated principal bundle.

• Sharpe, R. W. (1997). Differential Geometry: Cartan's Generalization of Klein's Erlangen Program. New York: Springer. ISBN 0-387-94732-9.
• Steenrod, Norman (1951). The Topology of Fibre Bundles. Princeton: Princeton University Press. ISBN 0-691-00548-6. See Part I, §2.10 and §3.