Indicial Notations

Dr. Rakesh K Kapania

Aerospace and Ocean Engineering Department
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA

AOE 5024, Vehicle Structures

Summer, 2016

2016
c Rakesh K. Kapania, Mitchell Professor, Aerospace and Ocean Engineering, Virginia
Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24061-0203.
Definitions

Scalar: A Quantity that has no direction, only magnitude;

Examples: Energy, Temperature

Vector: A quantity that has both magnitude and direction;

Examples: Force, Velocity, Displacement

Consider the Vector V ~ in the Cartesian Co-ordinate system (X , Y , Z )

and ~i, ~j, and ~k are unit vectors along x, y , and z directions, respectively.
In Indicial Notation the co-ordinate system is represented as (X1 , X2 , X3 )
and ~e1 , ~e2 and ~e3 as the unit vectors.

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c K. Kapania AOE 5024, Vehicle Structures 2
Definitions (cont’d)

The co-ordinate system in Indicial Notation,

Indicial Notation: ~ei , Xi

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c K. Kapania AOE 5024, Vehicle Structures 3
Definitions (cont’d)

~ can be represented as
The vector V

~ = Vx~i + Vy~j + Vz~k

V
= V1 e~1 + V2 e~2 + V3 e~3
i =3
= ∑ Vi ~ei
i =1

= Vi ~ei Einstein 0 s Summation Notation

= Vi 0~ei 0 New Co − ordinate System
i is called a Free Index, takes values 1, 2, and 3.Vi Represents the
Vector V.
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c K. Kapania AOE 5024, Vehicle Structures 4
Definitions (cont’d)

In Einstein’s summation notation, an index repeated twice indicates a

sum.
e.g. ai bi = a1 b1 + a2 b2 + a3 b3

Two Free Indices

  The 3 by 3 Matrix A is represented

A11 A12 A13 simply as Aij
Aij =  A21 A22 A23  Here i and j are two free indices
A31 A32 A33 and take the values 1, 2, and 3.

Note: Aii = A11 + A22 + A33 indicates a sum. Reduces to a sum over
the three terms on the diagonal.
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Definitions (cont’d)

Kronecker Delta
δij is called Kronecker Delta and is given as:

δij = 1 if i = j
= 0 if i 6= j
Alternatively  
1 0 0
δ= 0 1 0 
0 0 1
Note: δii represents δ11 + δ22 + δ33 , a summation over the index i,
hence δii = 3

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Definitions (cont’d)

Alternating Tensor
eijk is the so-called Alternating Tensor. It has 27 components as all
the three free indices i, j, and k can take any value 1, 2, and 3.

eijk = 1 if i, j, and k are in Cyclic order

= −1 if i, j, and k are in Countercyclic order
= 0 Otherwise
e123 = e231 = e312 = 1
e321 = e213 = e132 = −1
e112 = e223 = e231 = e331 = e221 . . . = 0

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Example 1

Example: Consider a fiber of length ds and components dx1 , dx2 , and

dx3 in x1 , x2 and x3 respectively.

ds 2 = dx12 + dx22 + dx32

Using Einstein’s summation notation:

ds 2 = dxi dxi

Here the repeated index implies a summation over the three values of
i. At times, it will be convenient to use the following form of the above
equation.
ds 2 = δij dxi dxj

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Example 1 (cont’d)

Note that the RHS in the above equation really represents a sum of 9
terms as the values of the two free indices i and j varies independently
from 1 to 3. Out of 9 terms, only three are nonzero, terms for which
i = j.

Prove: Aij δjk = Aik

Hint: The index j is being repeated and δij = 1 only if i = j. How many
equations does the aforementioned equation represents ? (Answer: 9)

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Example 2

Alternating Tensor Example: Determinant of a 3 by 3 matrix

Consider a matrix A that can be written as:
   
A1 A2 A3 a11 a12 a13
A =  B1 B2 B3  or  a21 a22 a23 
C1 C2 C3 a31 a32 a33

|A| = a11 a22 a33 − a12 a21 a33 + a13 a21 a32
− a11 a32 a23 + a12 a31 a23 − a13 a31 a22
= eijk ai1 aj2 ak3
= eijk Ai Bj Ck
This equation represents a sum of 27 terms. Only six of these are
nonzero. These are the ones containing:
e123 = e231 = e312 = 1 and e321 = e213 = e132 = −1
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Cross Product of Two vectors

The equation for the determinant of a matrix can be used to represent

the cross-product of two vectors (assuming a right handed coordinate
system)
~u = u1~e1 + u2~e2 + u3~e3 and ~v = v1~e1 + v2~e2 + v3~e3 .

 
 ~e1 ~e2 ~e3 
 
~u x ~v =  u1 u2 u3 
 v1 v2 v3 

= (u2 v3 − u3 v2 )~e1 − (u1 v3 − u3 v1 )~e2 + (u1 v2 − u2 v1 )~e3

= eijk~ei uj vk

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Dot Product of Two vectors

The Dot Product of the vectors ~u and ~v is:

~u · ~v = u1 v1 + u2 v2 + u3 v3 = ui vi

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Gradient of a Scalar

~ represents the vector:

Let Φ be a scalar and ∇

~ = ∂ ~i + ∂ ~j + ∂ ~k
∇
∂x ∂y ∂z
~ Φ represents the Gradient of the scalar Φ and is given as:
∇

~ Φ = ∂Φ~i + ∂Φ~j + ∂Φ~k

∇
∂x ∂y ∂z

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Gradient of a Scalar (cont’d)

~ Φ becomes:
In indicial notation, ∇

~ Φ = ∂Φ ~e1 + ∂Φ ~e2 + ∂Φ ~e3 = Φ,i ~ei

∇
∂x1 ∂x2 ∂x3

In Indicial Notation, a comma represents a partial derivative, Thus Φ,i

represents the partial derivative of Φ with respect to xi and the ith
component of teh vector ∇φ

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Gradient of a Vector

~ = Vx~i + Vy~j + Vz~k.

Consider a vector V
The Divergence of V ~ (div V ~,
~ ) is its dot product with the vector ∇
i.e.

~ =∇
div V ~ = ∂Vx + ∂Vy + ∂Vz
~ ·V
∂x ∂y ∂z
In Indicial Notation,

div V~ = ∂Vi = Vi ,i
∂xi
Note: the divergence of a vector is a scalar and the gradient of a scalar
is a vector that represents the direction for the maximum change for
that scalar.
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Curl of a Vector

~ = Vx~i + Vy~j + Vz~k is defined as the cross

The Curl of a vector V
~ with V
product of ∇ ~.
 
 ~i
 ~j ~k   ~e1 ~e2 ~e3 
   

   
~ ×V ~ =
 ∂ ∂ ∂  
 ∂ ∂ ∂
∇ =

 ∂x ∂y ∂z   ∂x ∂x ∂x 

   1 2 3

   
  
 Vx Vy Vz  V1 V2 V3 
| {z } | {z }
Classic Notation Indicial Notation

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Curl of a Vector (cont’d)

The determinant on the right hand side can be expressed using the
Alternating Tensor eijk .

~ = eijk~ei ∂Vk
~ ×V
∇
∂xj

Using Vk ,j to represent the partial derivative of Vk with respect to xj .

~ ×V
∇ ~ = eijk~ei Vk ,j

We reiterate the fact that the right hand side represents a sum of 27
terms, only six of which are nonzero.

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c K. Kapania AOE 5024, Vehicle Structures 17
Some Other Identities

δii = 3

δij δij = 3

eijk eijk = 6

eijk Aj Ak = 0 (3 Equations)

δij δjk = δik

δij eijk = 0 (3 Equations)

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c K. Kapania AOE 5024, Vehicle Structures 18
Misc. Example 1

Given vector A = 2x1 iˆ + 5x22 jˆ + 3x32 k̂. Determine the values of the
following.
• Ai,i • Ai,i2 • Ai,i3
I For Ai,i

∂Ai ∂A1 ∂A2 ∂A3

Ai,i = = + +
∂xi ∂x1 ∂x2 ∂x3
Ai,i = 2 + 10x2 + 6x3

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Misc. Example 1 (cont’d)

I For Ai,i2

∂2 Ai ∂  ∂A1  ∂  ∂A2  ∂  ∂A3 

Ai,i2 = = + +
∂xi ∂x2 ∂x1 ∂x2 ∂x2 ∂x2 ∂x3 ∂x2
∂
Ai,i2 = 0 + (10x2 ) + 0 = 10
∂x2
I For Ai,i3

∂2 Ai ∂  ∂A1  ∂  ∂A2  ∂  ∂A3 

Ai,i3 = = + +
∂xi ∂x3 ∂x1 ∂x3 ∂x2 ∂x3 ∂x3 ∂x3
∂
Ai,i3 = 0 + 0 + (6x3 ) = 6
∂x3
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Misc. Example 2

Represent the following in Indicial Notations

• ∇4 φ • (A × B ).C

I For ∇4 φ

∇4 φ = ∇2 (∇2 φ) = ∇2 (φ,ii ) = (φ,ii )jj = φ,iijj

I For (A × B ).C

(A × B ).C = (eijk Aj Bk ).~ei .Cp e~p

(A × B ).C = eijk Aj Bk Cp δip
(A × B ).C = eijk Aj Bk Ci

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