Basic Notions of Poisson and Symplectic Geometry in Local Coordinates, with Applications to Hamiltonian Systems

Abstract

This work contains a brief and elementary exposition of the foundations of Poisson and symplectic geometries, with an emphasis on applications for Hamiltonian systems with second-class constraints. In particular, we clarify the geometric meaning of the Dirac bracket on a symplectic manifold and provide a proof of the Jacobi identity on a Poisson manifold. A number of applications of the Dirac bracket are described: applications for proof of the compatibility of a system consisting of differential and algebraic equations, as well as applications for the problem of the reduction of a Hamiltonian system with known integrals of motion.

Keywords

• Poisson geometry
• symplectic geometry
• Hamiltonian systems