4.4 An example: (ψ,𝜃,ζ) coordinates

Suppose (ψ,𝜃,ζ) is an arbitrary general coordinate system. Following Einstein’s notation, contravariant basis vectors are denoted with upper indices as

eψ ≡ ∇ ψ; e𝜃 ≡ ∇𝜃; eζ ≡ ∇ζ.                     (91)
and the covariant basis vectors are denoted with low indices as
eψ ≡ ∂r; e𝜃 ≡ ∂r; eζ ≡ ∂r.                      (92)
     ∂ψ      ∂𝜃      ∂ζ
Then the orthogonality relation, Eq. (80), is written as
eα ⋅eβ = δαβ.
(93)

In term of the contravairant basis vectors, A is written

A  = Aψeψ + A𝜃e𝜃 + A ζeζ,
(94)

where the components are easily obtained by taking scalar product with eψ,e𝜃,andeζ, yielding Aψ = A eψ, A𝜃 = A e𝜃, and Aζ = A eζ. Similarly, in term of the covariant basis vectors, A is written

A  = Aψeψ + A𝜃e𝜃 + A ζeζ,
(95)

where Aψ = A eψ, A𝜃 = A e𝜃, and Aζ = A eζ.

Using the above notation, the relation in Eq. (89) is written as

eψ = 𝒥 e𝜃 × eζ
(96)

       ζ    ψ
e𝜃 = 𝒥e  × e
(97)

eζ = 𝒥eψ × e𝜃
(98)

where  𝒥 = [(ψ ×∇𝜃) ⋅∇ζ]1. Similarly, the relation in Eq. (90) is written as

eψ = 𝒥 −1e𝜃 × eζ
(99)

e𝜃 = 𝒥− 1eζ × eψ
(100)

 ζ    − 1
e  = 𝒥  eψ × e𝜃
(101)