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Calling Sequence
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VectorField( components = compList, space = varList)
VectorField( DExpr, space = varList)
VectorField( listOfPairs, space = varList )
VectorField( 0, space = varList)
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Parameters
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compList
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a list of scalar expressions [xi1, xi2,...,xin] the components of the vector field.
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varList
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a list of names [x1, x2, ... ,xn], the coordinates of space
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DExpr
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expression of the form xi1*D[x1] + xi2*D[x2] + ... + xin*D[xn]
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listOfPairs
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a list of ordered pairs [[xi1,x1], [xi2,x2], ..., [xin,xn]] of component values and corresponding space coordinate
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Description
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The command VectorField(...) is a constructor method for creating a VectorField object. Once a valid VectorField object is created, it has access to various methods which allow it to be manipulated and its contents queried. see Overview of VectorField object for more detail.
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A vector field is an expression of the form living on a space with coordinates . The are referred to as components, and are referred to as (coordinates of) space.
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The VectorField command first validates the user input arguments and then constructs a VectorField object. A valid VectorField object consists of two data attributes: components and space variables .
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In the first calling sequence, both arguments components = compList, space=varList are required. These two lists must be of the same length.
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The second calling sequence is a textual representation of the usual appearance of a vector field. The space = varList argument is optional; if present, its specification of the space overrides the space [x1, x2,..., xn] implied by DExpr.
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In the third calling sequence, the space =varList argument is optional; if present, its specification of the space overrides the space [x1, x2,..., xn] implied by listOfPairs.
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The fourth calling sequence is a special constructor for the zero vector field on the specified space; the space = varList argument is required.
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This command can be used in the form VectorField(...) only after executing the command with(LieAlgebrasOfVectorFields), but can always be used by executing LieAlgebrasOfVectorFields:-VectorField(...).
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Examples
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>
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First calling sequence:
>
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Second calling sequence:
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Third calling sequence, vector field specified by ordered pairs:
>
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Fourth calling sequence:
>
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The second calling sequence is especially useful as a sparse form entry, where only a few components are nonzero:
>
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Although the coordinates y,z,t are not visible in the printed form of this vector field, they are present in the VectorField object:
>
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| (6) |
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