Vector bundle

In mathematics, a vector bundle is a geometrical construct where to every point of a topological space (or manifold, or algebraic variety) we attach a vector space in a compatible way, so that all those vector spaces, "glued together", form another topological space (or manifold or variety). A typical example is the tangent bundle of a differentiable manifold: to every point of the manifold we attach the tangent space of the manifold at that point. Or consider a smooth curve in R2, and attach to every point of the curve the line normal to the curve at that point; this yields the "normal bundle" of the curve.

Related Topics:
Mathematics - Topological space - Manifold - Algebraic variety - Vector space - Tangent bundle

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This article deals mostly with real vector bundles, with finite-dimensional fibers. Complex vector bundles are important in many cases, too; they are a special case, meaning that they can be seen as extra structure on an underlying real bundle.

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