Vector Bundle Morphism

A vector bundle morphism between two vector bundles E and F over the same base manifold M is a smooth map Φ:E→F satisfying the following conditions:

  1. Base map: The map Φ projects to the identity on the base M, meaning πF∘Φ=πE, where πE:E→M and πF:F→M are the projection maps.
  2. Linear structure: For each point p∈M, the restriction of Φ to the fibers is a linear map: Φp:Ep→Fp, where Ep=πE−1({p}) and Fp=πF−1({p}).

Inducing a Bundle Morphism from a Section Map

A C∞(M)-linear map Ψ:Γ(E)→Γ(F), where Γ(E) and Γ(F) denote the spaces of smooth sections of E and F respectively, induces a vector bundle morphism Φ:E→F. This is because such a map determines a smooth fiberwise-linear map between E and F that respects the base manifold structure.

Key idea: we can define Φ(u):=Ψ(s)(p), where s is a section of E such that s(p)=u. To show the independence with respect to the choice of s, we write everything in a local frame of sections {ei} around p, and then use the C∞(M)-linearity of Ψ.