The Cotangent Bundle As Phase Space
Since the cotangent bundle X=T*M is a vector bundle, it can be regarded as a manifold in its own right. Because of the manner in which the definition of T*M relates to the differential topology of the base space M, X possesses a canonical one-form θ (also tautological one-form or symplectic potential). The exterior derivative of θ is a symplectic 2-form, out of which a non-degenerate volume form can be built for X. For example, as a result X is always an orientable manifold (meaning that the tangent bundle of X is an orientable vector bundle). A special set of coordinates can be defined on the cotangent bundle; these are called the canonical coordinates. Because cotangent bundles can be thought of as symplectic manifolds, any real function on the cotangent bundle can be interpreted to be a Hamiltonian; thus the cotangent bundle can be understood to be a phase space on which Hamiltonian mechanics plays out.
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