Projective Geometry and PDE Prolongation

Abstract: In this dissertation we study basic local differential geometry, projective differential geometry, and prolongations of overdetermined geometric partial differential equations. It is simple to prolong an n-th order linear ordinary differential equation into n first order equations. For partial differential equations there is a related process but it is far more subtle and complex. Considerable work has been done in this area but much of this is very abstract and there are many open problems even at a relatively elementary level. We introduce the reader to differential geometry and tractor calculus before recovering the projective tractor and cotractor connections via the prolongation of appropriate partial differential equations. Following this, we study prolongation of other projectively invariant equations, a particular focus is an equation known as the projective metrisability equation.