passagemath-symbolics 10.6.40__cp314-cp314t-macosx_13_0_x86_64.whl

sage/manifolds/differentiable/metric.py

@@ -0,0 +1,3032 @@
+# sage_setup: distribution = sagemath-symbolics
+r"""
+Pseudo-Riemannian Metrics and Degenerate Metrics
+
+The class :class:`PseudoRiemannianMetric` implements pseudo-Riemannian metrics
+on differentiable manifolds over `\RR`. The derived class
+:class:`PseudoRiemannianMetricParal` is devoted to metrics with values on a
+parallelizable manifold.
+
+The class :class:`DegenerateMetric` implements degenerate (or null or lightlike)
+metrics on differentiable manifolds over `\RR`. The derived class
+:class:`DegenerateMetricParal` is devoted to metrics with values on a
+parallelizable manifold.
+
+AUTHORS:
+
+- Eric Gourgoulhon, Michal Bejger (2013-2015) : initial version
+- Pablo Angulo (2016) : Schouten, Cotton and Cotton-York tensors
+- Florentin Jaffredo (2018) : series expansion for the inverse metric
+- Hans Fotsing Tetsing (2019) : degenerate metrics
+- Marius Gerbershagen (2022) : compute volume forms with contravariant indices
+  only as needed
+
+REFERENCES:
+
+- [KN1963]_
+- [Lee1997]_
+- [ONe1983]_
+- [DB1996]_
+- [DS2010]_
+"""
+# *****************************************************************************
+#  Copyright (C) 2015 Eric Gourgoulhon <eric.gourgoulhon@obspm.fr>
+#  Copyright (C) 2015 Michal Bejger <bejger@camk.edu.pl>
+#  Copyright (C) 2016 Pablo Angulo <pang@cancamusa.net>
+#  Copyright (C) 2018 Florentin Jaffredo <florentin.jaffredo@polytechnique.edu>
+#  Copyright (C) 2019 Hans Fotsing Tetsing <hans.fotsing@aims-cameroon.org>
+#
+#  Distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL)
+#  as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of
+#  the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+#                  https://www.gnu.org/licenses/
+# *****************************************************************************
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, overload
+
+from sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield import TensorField
+from sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield_paral import TensorFieldParal
+from sage.rings.integer import Integer
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    from sage.manifolds.differentiable.diff_form import DiffForm
+
+
+class PseudoRiemannianMetric(TensorField):
+    r"""
+    Pseudo-Riemannian metric with values on an open subset of a
+    differentiable manifold.
+
+    An instance of this class is a field of nondegenerate symmetric bilinear
+    forms (metric field) along a differentiable manifold `U` with
+    values on a differentiable manifold `M` over `\RR`, via a differentiable
+    mapping `\Phi: U \rightarrow M`.
+    The standard case of a metric field *on* a manifold corresponds to `U=M`
+    and `\Phi = \mathrm{Id}_M`. Other common cases are `\Phi` being an
+    immersion and `\Phi` being a curve in `M` (`U` is then an open interval
+    of `\RR`).
+
+    A *metric* `g` is a field on `U`, such that at each point `p\in U`, `g(p)`
+    is a bilinear map of the type:
+
+    .. MATH::
+
+        g(p):\ T_q M\times T_q M  \longrightarrow \RR
+
+    where `T_q M` stands for the tangent space to the
+    manifold `M` at the point `q=\Phi(p)`, such that `g(p)` is symmetric:
+    `\forall (u,v)\in  T_q M\times T_q M, \ g(p)(v,u) = g(p)(u,v)`
+    and nondegenerate:
+    `(\forall v\in T_q M,\ \ g(p)(u,v) = 0) \Longrightarrow u=0`.
+
+    .. NOTE::
+
+        If `M` is parallelizable, the class :class:`PseudoRiemannianMetricParal`
+        should be used instead.
+
+    INPUT:
+
+    - ``vector_field_module`` -- module `\mathfrak{X}(U,\Phi)` of vector
+      fields along `U` with values on `\Phi(U)\subset M`
+    - ``name`` -- name given to the metric
+    - ``signature`` -- (default: ``None``) signature `S` of the metric as a
+      single integer: `S = n_+ - n_-`, where `n_+` (resp. `n_-`) is the number
+      of positive terms (resp. number of negative terms) in any diagonal
+      writing of the metric components; if ``signature`` is ``None``, `S` is
+      set to the dimension of manifold `M` (Riemannian signature)
+    - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the metric;
+      if ``None``, it is formed from ``name``
+
+    EXAMPLES:
+
+    Let us construct the standard metric on the sphere `S^2`, described in
+    terms of stereographic coordinates, from the North pole (open subset `U`)
+    and from the South pole (open subset `V`)::
+
+        sage: M = Manifold(2, 'S^2', start_index=1)
+        sage: U = M.open_subset('U') ; V = M.open_subset('V')
+        sage: M.declare_union(U,V)   # S^2 is the union of U and V
+        sage: c_xy.<x,y> = U.chart() ; c_uv.<u,v> = V.chart() # stereographic coord
+        sage: xy_to_uv = c_xy.transition_map(c_uv, (x/(x^2+y^2), y/(x^2+y^2)),
+        ....:                 intersection_name='W', restrictions1= x^2+y^2!=0,
+        ....:                 restrictions2= u^2+v^2!=0)
+        sage: uv_to_xy = xy_to_uv.inverse()
+        sage: eU = c_xy.frame() ; eV = c_uv.frame()
+        sage: g = M.metric('g') ; g
+        Riemannian metric g on the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold S^2
+
+    The metric is considered as a tensor field of type (0,2) on `S^2`::
+
+        sage: g.parent()
+        Module T^(0,2)(S^2) of type-(0,2) tensors fields on the 2-dimensional
+         differentiable manifold S^2
+
+    We define `g` by its components on domain `U`::
+
+        sage: g[eU,1,1], g[eU,2,2] = 4/(1+x^2+y^2)^2, 4/(1+x^2+y^2)^2
+        sage: g.display(eU)
+        g = 4/(x^2 + y^2 + 1)^2 dx⊗dx + 4/(x^2 + y^2 + 1)^2 dy⊗dy
+
+    A matrix view of the components::
+
+        sage: g[eU,:]
+        [4/(x^2 + y^2 + 1)^2                   0]
+        [                  0 4/(x^2 + y^2 + 1)^2]
+
+    The components of `g` on domain `V` expressed in terms of coordinates
+    `(u,v)` are obtained by applying (i) the tensor transformation law on
+    `W = U\cap V` and (ii) some analytical continuation::
+
+        sage: W = U.intersection(V)
+        sage: g.add_comp_by_continuation(eV, W, chart=c_uv)
+        sage: g.apply_map(factor, frame=eV, keep_other_components=True) # for a nicer display
+        sage: g.display(eV)
+        g = 4/(u^2 + v^2 + 1)^2 du⊗du + 4/(u^2 + v^2 + 1)^2 dv⊗dv
+
+    At this stage, the metric is fully defined on the whole sphere. Its
+    restriction to some subdomain is itself a metric (by default, it bears the
+    same symbol)::
+
+        sage: g.restrict(U)
+        Riemannian metric g on the Open subset U of the 2-dimensional
+         differentiable manifold S^2
+        sage: g.restrict(U).parent()
+        Free module T^(0,2)(U) of type-(0,2) tensors fields on the Open subset
+         U of the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold S^2
+
+    The parent of `g|_U` is a free module because is `U` is a parallelizable
+    domain, contrary to `S^2`. Actually, `g` and `g|_U` have different Python
+    type::
+
+        sage: type(g)
+        <class 'sage.manifolds.differentiable.metric.PseudoRiemannianMetric'>
+        sage: type(g.restrict(U))
+        <class 'sage.manifolds.differentiable.metric.PseudoRiemannianMetricParal'>
+
+    As a field of bilinear forms, the metric acts on pairs of vector fields,
+    yielding a scalar field::
+
+        sage: a = M.vector_field({eU: [x, 2+y]}, name='a')
+        sage: a.add_comp_by_continuation(eV, W, chart=c_uv)
+        sage: b = M.vector_field({eU: [-y, x]}, name='b')
+        sage: b.add_comp_by_continuation(eV, W, chart=c_uv)
+        sage: s = g(a,b) ; s
+        Scalar field g(a,b) on the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold S^2
+        sage: s.display()
+        g(a,b): S^2 → ℝ
+        on U: (x, y) ↦ 8*x/(x^4 + y^4 + 2*(x^2 + 1)*y^2 + 2*x^2 + 1)
+        on V: (u, v) ↦ 8*(u^3 + u*v^2)/(u^4 + v^4 + 2*(u^2 + 1)*v^2 + 2*u^2 + 1)
+
+    The inverse metric is::
+
+        sage: ginv = g.inverse() ; ginv
+        Tensor field inv_g of type (2,0) on the 2-dimensional differentiable
+         manifold S^2
+        sage: ginv.parent()
+        Module T^(2,0)(S^2) of type-(2,0) tensors fields on the 2-dimensional
+         differentiable manifold S^2
+        sage: latex(ginv)
+        g^{-1}
+        sage: ginv.display(eU)
+        inv_g = (1/4*x^4 + 1/4*y^4 + 1/2*(x^2 + 1)*y^2 + 1/2*x^2 + 1/4) ∂/∂x⊗∂/∂x
+         + (1/4*x^4 + 1/4*y^4 + 1/2*(x^2 + 1)*y^2 + 1/2*x^2 + 1/4) ∂/∂y⊗∂/∂y
+        sage: ginv.display(eV)
+        inv_g = (1/4*u^4 + 1/4*v^4 + 1/2*(u^2 + 1)*v^2 + 1/2*u^2 + 1/4) ∂/∂u⊗∂/∂u
+         + (1/4*u^4 + 1/4*v^4 + 1/2*(u^2 + 1)*v^2 + 1/2*u^2 + 1/4) ∂/∂v⊗∂/∂v
+
+    We have::
+
+        sage: ginv.restrict(U) is g.restrict(U).inverse()
+        True
+        sage: ginv.restrict(V) is g.restrict(V).inverse()
+        True
+        sage: ginv.restrict(W) is g.restrict(W).inverse()
+        True
+
+    To get the volume form (Levi-Civita tensor) associated with `g`, we have
+    first to define an orientation on `S^2`. The standard orientation is that
+    in which ``eV`` is right-handed; indeed, once supplemented by the outward
+    unit normal, ``eV`` give birth to a right-handed frame with respect to the
+    standard orientation of the ambient Euclidean space `E^3`. With such an
+    orientation, ``eU`` is then left-handed and in order to define an
+    orientation on the whole of `S^2`, we introduce a vector frame
+    on `U` by swapping ``eU``'s vectors::
+
+        sage: f = U.vector_frame('f', (eU[2], eU[1]))
+        sage: M.set_orientation([eV, f])
+
+    We have then, factorizing the components for a nicer display::
+
+        sage: eps = g.volume_form() ; eps
+        2-form eps_g on the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold S^2
+        sage: eps.apply_map(factor, frame=eU, keep_other_components=True)
+        sage: eps.apply_map(factor, frame=eV, keep_other_components=True)
+        sage: eps.display(eU)
+        eps_g = -4/(x^2 + y^2 + 1)^2 dx∧dy
+        sage: eps.display(eV)
+        eps_g = 4/(u^2 + v^2 + 1)^2 du∧dv
+
+    The unique non-trivial component of the volume form is, up to a sign
+    depending of the chosen orientation, nothing but the square root of the
+    determinant of `g` in the corresponding frame::
+
+        sage: eps[[eU,1,2]] == -g.sqrt_abs_det(eU)
+        True
+        sage: eps[[eV,1,2]] == g.sqrt_abs_det(eV)
+        True
+
+    The Levi-Civita connection associated with the metric `g`::
+
+        sage: nabla = g.connection() ; nabla
+        Levi-Civita connection nabla_g associated with the Riemannian metric g
+         on the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold S^2
+        sage: latex(nabla)
+        \nabla_{g}
+
+    The Christoffel symbols `\Gamma^i_{\ \, jk}` associated with some
+    coordinates::
+
+        sage: g.christoffel_symbols(c_xy)
+        3-indices components w.r.t. Coordinate frame (U, (∂/∂x,∂/∂y)), with
+         symmetry on the index positions (1, 2)
+        sage: g.christoffel_symbols(c_xy)[:]
+        [[[-2*x/(x^2 + y^2 + 1), -2*y/(x^2 + y^2 + 1)],
+          [-2*y/(x^2 + y^2 + 1), 2*x/(x^2 + y^2 + 1)]],
+         [[2*y/(x^2 + y^2 + 1), -2*x/(x^2 + y^2 + 1)],
+          [-2*x/(x^2 + y^2 + 1), -2*y/(x^2 + y^2 + 1)]]]
+        sage: g.christoffel_symbols(c_uv)[:]
+        [[[-2*u/(u^2 + v^2 + 1), -2*v/(u^2 + v^2 + 1)],
+          [-2*v/(u^2 + v^2 + 1), 2*u/(u^2 + v^2 + 1)]],
+         [[2*v/(u^2 + v^2 + 1), -2*u/(u^2 + v^2 + 1)],
+          [-2*u/(u^2 + v^2 + 1), -2*v/(u^2 + v^2 + 1)]]]
+
+    The Christoffel symbols are nothing but the connection coefficients w.r.t.
+    the coordinate frame::
+
+        sage: g.christoffel_symbols(c_xy) is nabla.coef(c_xy.frame())
+        True
+        sage: g.christoffel_symbols(c_uv) is nabla.coef(c_uv.frame())
+        True
+
+    Test that `\nabla` is the connection compatible with `g`::
+
+        sage: t = nabla(g) ; t
+        Tensor field nabla_g(g) of type (0,3) on the 2-dimensional
+         differentiable manifold S^2
+        sage: t.display(eU)
+        nabla_g(g) = 0
+        sage: t.display(eV)
+        nabla_g(g) = 0
+        sage: t == 0
+        True
+
+    The Riemann curvature tensor of `g`::
+
+        sage: riem = g.riemann() ; riem
+        Tensor field Riem(g) of type (1,3) on the 2-dimensional differentiable
+         manifold S^2
+        sage: riem.display(eU)
+        Riem(g) = 4/(x^4 + y^4 + 2*(x^2 + 1)*y^2 + 2*x^2 + 1) ∂/∂x⊗dy⊗dx⊗dy
+         - 4/(x^4 + y^4 + 2*(x^2 + 1)*y^2 + 2*x^2 + 1) ∂/∂x⊗dy⊗dy⊗dx
+         - 4/(x^4 + y^4 + 2*(x^2 + 1)*y^2 + 2*x^2 + 1) ∂/∂y⊗dx⊗dx⊗dy
+         + 4/(x^4 + y^4 + 2*(x^2 + 1)*y^2 + 2*x^2 + 1) ∂/∂y⊗dx⊗dy⊗dx
+        sage: riem.display(eV)
+        Riem(g) = 4/(u^4 + v^4 + 2*(u^2 + 1)*v^2 + 2*u^2 + 1) ∂/∂u⊗dv⊗du⊗dv
+         - 4/(u^4 + v^4 + 2*(u^2 + 1)*v^2 + 2*u^2 + 1) ∂/∂u⊗dv⊗dv⊗du
+         - 4/(u^4 + v^4 + 2*(u^2 + 1)*v^2 + 2*u^2 + 1) ∂/∂v⊗du⊗du⊗dv
+         + 4/(u^4 + v^4 + 2*(u^2 + 1)*v^2 + 2*u^2 + 1) ∂/∂v⊗du⊗dv⊗du
+
+    The Ricci tensor of `g`::
+
+        sage: ric = g.ricci() ; ric
+        Field of symmetric bilinear forms Ric(g) on the 2-dimensional
+         differentiable manifold S^2
+        sage: ric.display(eU)
+        Ric(g) = 4/(x^4 + y^4 + 2*(x^2 + 1)*y^2 + 2*x^2 + 1) dx⊗dx
+         + 4/(x^4 + y^4 + 2*(x^2 + 1)*y^2 + 2*x^2 + 1) dy⊗dy
+        sage: ric.display(eV)
+        Ric(g) = 4/(u^4 + v^4 + 2*(u^2 + 1)*v^2 + 2*u^2 + 1) du⊗du
+         + 4/(u^4 + v^4 + 2*(u^2 + 1)*v^2 + 2*u^2 + 1) dv⊗dv
+        sage: ric == g
+        True
+
+    The Ricci scalar of `g`::
+
+        sage: r = g.ricci_scalar() ; r
+        Scalar field r(g) on the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold S^2
+        sage: r.display()
+        r(g): S^2 → ℝ
+        on U: (x, y) ↦ 2
+        on V: (u, v) ↦ 2
+
+    In dimension 2, the Riemann tensor can be expressed entirely in terms of
+    the Ricci scalar `r`:
+
+    .. MATH::
+
+        R^i_{\ \, jlk} = \frac{r}{2} \left( \delta^i_{\ \, k} g_{jl}
+            - \delta^i_{\ \, l} g_{jk} \right)
+
+    This formula can be checked here, with the r.h.s. rewritten as
+    `-r g_{j[k} \delta^i_{\ \, l]}`::
+
+        sage: delta = M.tangent_identity_field()
+        sage: riem == - r*(g*delta).antisymmetrize(2,3)
+        True
+    """
+    _derived_objects = ('_connection', '_ricci_scalar', '_weyl',
+                       '_schouten', '_cotton', '_cotton_york')
+
+    def __init__(self, vector_field_module, name, signature=None,
+                 latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Construct a metric.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M')
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') ; V = M.open_subset('V')
+            sage: M.declare_union(U,V)   # M is the union of U and V
+            sage: c_xy.<x,y> = U.chart() ; c_uv.<u,v> = V.chart()
+            sage: xy_to_uv = c_xy.transition_map(c_uv, (x+y, x-y),
+            ....:               intersection_name='W', restrictions1= x>0,
+            ....:               restrictions2= u+v>0)
+            sage: uv_to_xy = xy_to_uv.inverse()
+            sage: W = U.intersection(V)
+            sage: e_xy = c_xy.frame() ; e_uv = c_uv.frame()
+            sage: XM = M.vector_field_module()
+            sage: from sage.manifolds.differentiable.metric import \
+            ....:                                        PseudoRiemannianMetric
+            sage: g = PseudoRiemannianMetric(XM, 'g', signature=0); g
+            Lorentzian metric g on the 2-dimensional differentiable
+             manifold M
+            sage: g[e_xy,0,0], g[e_xy,1,1] = -(1+x^2), 1+y^2
+            sage: g.add_comp_by_continuation(e_uv, W, c_uv)
+            sage: TestSuite(g).run(skip=['_test_category', '_test_pickling'])
+
+        .. TODO::
+
+            - fix _test_pickling (in the superclass TensorField)
+            - add a specific parent to the metrics, to fit with the category
+              framework
+        """
+        TensorField.__init__(self, vector_field_module, (0,2),
+                             name=name, latex_name=latex_name, sym=(0,1))
+        # signature:
+        ndim = self._ambient_domain.dimension()
+        if signature is None:
+            signature = ndim
+        else:
+            if not isinstance(signature, (int, Integer)):
+                raise TypeError("the metric signature must be an integer")
+            if (signature < - ndim) or (signature > ndim):
+                raise ValueError("metric signature out of range")
+            if (signature+ndim) % 2 == 1:
+                if ndim % 2 == 0:
+                    raise ValueError("the metric signature must be even")
+                else:
+                    raise ValueError("the metric signature must be odd")
+        self._signature = signature
+        # the pair (n_+, n_-):
+        self._signature_pm = ((ndim+signature)//2, (ndim-signature)//2)
+        self._indic_signat = 1 - 2*(self._signature_pm[1] % 2)  # (-1)^n_-
+        # Initialization of derived quantities:
+        PseudoRiemannianMetric._init_derived(self)
+
+    def _repr_(self):
+        r"""
+        String representation of the object.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(5, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g._repr_()
+            'Riemannian metric g on the 5-dimensional differentiable manifold M'
+            sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=3)
+            sage: g._repr_()
+            'Lorentzian metric g on the 5-dimensional differentiable manifold M'
+            sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=1)
+            sage: g._repr_()
+            'Pseudo-Riemannian metric g on the 5-dimensional differentiable manifold M'
+        """
+        n = self._ambient_domain.dimension()
+        s = self._signature
+        if s == n:
+            description = "Riemannian metric "
+        elif s == n-2 or s == 2-n:
+            description = "Lorentzian metric "
+        else:
+            description = "Pseudo-Riemannian metric "
+        description += self._name + " "
+        return self._final_repr(description)
+
+    def _new_instance(self):
+        r"""
+        Create an instance of the same class as ``self`` with the same
+        signature.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(5, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=3)
+            sage: g1 = g._new_instance(); g1
+            Lorentzian metric unnamed metric on the 5-dimensional
+             differentiable manifold M
+            sage: type(g1) == type(g)
+            True
+            sage: g1.parent() is g.parent()
+            True
+            sage: g1.signature() == g.signature()
+            True
+        """
+        return type(self)(self._vmodule, 'unnamed metric',
+                          signature=self._signature,
+                          latex_name=r'\text{unnamed metric}')
+
+    def _init_derived(self):
+        r"""
+        Initialize the derived quantities.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(5, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g._init_derived()
+        """
+        # Initialization of quantities pertaining to the mother class:
+        TensorField._init_derived(self)
+        # inverse metric:
+        inv_name = 'inv_' + self._name
+        inv_latex_name = self._latex_name + r'^{-1}'
+        self._inverse = self._vmodule.tensor((2,0), name=inv_name,
+                                             latex_name=inv_latex_name,
+                                             sym=(0,1))
+        for attr in self._derived_objects:
+            self.__setattr__(attr, None)
+        self._determinants = {} # determinants in various frames
+        self._sqrt_abs_dets = {} # sqrt(abs(det g)) in various frames
+        self._vol_forms = [] # volume form and associated tensors
+
+    def _del_derived(self):
+        r"""
+        Delete the derived quantities.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(5, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g._del_derived()
+        """
+        # First the derived quantities from the mother class are deleted:
+        TensorField._del_derived(self)
+        # The inverse metric is cleared:
+        self._del_inverse()
+        # The connection, Ricci scalar and Weyl tensor are reset to None:
+        # The Schouten, Cotton and Cotton-York tensors are reset to None:
+        for attr in self._derived_objects:
+            self.__setattr__(attr, None)
+        # The dictionary of determinants over the various frames is cleared:
+        self._determinants.clear()
+        self._sqrt_abs_dets.clear()
+        # The volume form and the associated tensors is deleted:
+        del self._vol_forms[:]
+
+    def _del_inverse(self):
+        r"""
+        Delete the inverse metric.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(5, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g._del_inverse()
+        """
+        self._inverse._restrictions.clear()
+        self._inverse._del_derived()
+
+    def signature(self):
+        r"""
+        Signature of the metric.
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - signature `S` of the metric, defined as the integer
+          `S = n_+ - n_-`, where `n_+` (resp. `n_-`) is the number of
+          positive terms (resp. number of negative terms) in any diagonal
+          writing of the metric components
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Signatures on a 2-dimensional manifold::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g') # if not specified, the signature is Riemannian
+            sage: g.signature()
+            2
+            sage: h = M.metric('h', signature=0)
+            sage: h.signature()
+            0
+        """
+        return self._signature
+
+    def restrict(self, subdomain, dest_map=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the restriction of the metric to some subdomain.
+
+        If the restriction has not been defined yet, it is constructed here.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``subdomain`` -- open subset `U` of the metric's domain (must be an
+          instance of :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.manifold.DifferentiableManifold`)
+        - ``dest_map`` -- (default: ``None``) destination map
+          `\Phi:\ U \rightarrow V`, where `V` is a subdomain of
+          ``self._codomain``
+          (type: :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.diff_map.DiffMap`)
+          If ``None``, the restriction of ``self._vmodule._dest_map`` to `U` is
+          used.
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - instance of :class:`PseudoRiemannianMetric` representing the
+          restriction.
+
+        EXAMPLES::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(5, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=3)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U')
+            sage: g.restrict(U)
+            Lorentzian metric g on the Open subset U of the
+             5-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: g.restrict(U).signature()
+            3
+
+        See the top documentation of :class:`PseudoRiemannianMetric` for more
+        examples.
+        """
+        if subdomain == self._domain:
+            return self
+        if subdomain not in self._restrictions:
+            # Construct the restriction at the tensor field level:
+            resu = TensorField.restrict(self, subdomain, dest_map=dest_map)
+            # the type is correctly handled by TensorField.restrict, i.e.
+            # resu is of type self.__class__, but the signature is not handled
+            # by TensorField.restrict; we have to set it here:
+            resu._signature = self._signature
+            resu._signature_pm = self._signature_pm
+            resu._indic_signat = self._indic_signat
+            # Restrictions of derived quantities:
+            resu._inverse = self.inverse().restrict(subdomain)
+            for attr in self._derived_objects:
+                derived = self.__getattribute__(attr)
+                if derived is not None:
+                    resu.__setattr__(attr, derived.restrict(subdomain))
+            if self._vol_forms != []:
+                for eps in self._vol_forms:
+                    resu._vol_forms.append(eps.restrict(subdomain))
+            # NB: no initialization of resu._determinants nor
+            # resu._sqrt_abs_dets
+            # The restriction is ready:
+            self._restrictions[subdomain] = resu
+        return self._restrictions[subdomain]
+
+    def set(self, symbiform):
+        r"""
+        Define the metric from a field of symmetric bilinear forms.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``symbiform`` -- instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField`
+          representing a field of symmetric bilinear forms
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Metric defined from a field of symmetric bilinear forms on a
+        non-parallelizable 2-dimensional manifold::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M')
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') ; V = M.open_subset('V')
+            sage: M.declare_union(U,V)   # M is the union of U and V
+            sage: c_xy.<x,y> = U.chart() ; c_uv.<u,v> = V.chart()
+            sage: xy_to_uv = c_xy.transition_map(c_uv, (x+y, x-y), intersection_name='W',
+            ....:                              restrictions1= x>0, restrictions2= u+v>0)
+            sage: uv_to_xy = xy_to_uv.inverse()
+            sage: W = U.intersection(V)
+            sage: eU = c_xy.frame() ; eV = c_uv.frame()
+            sage: h = M.sym_bilin_form_field(name='h')
+            sage: h[eU,0,0], h[eU,0,1], h[eU,1,1] = 1+x, x*y, 1-y
+            sage: h.add_comp_by_continuation(eV, W, c_uv)
+            sage: h.display(eU)
+            h = (x + 1) dx⊗dx + x*y dx⊗dy + x*y dy⊗dx + (-y + 1) dy⊗dy
+            sage: h.display(eV)
+            h = (1/8*u^2 - 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2) du⊗du + 1/4*u du⊗dv
+             + 1/4*u dv⊗du + (-1/8*u^2 + 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2) dv⊗dv
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g.set(h)
+            sage: g.display(eU)
+            g = (x + 1) dx⊗dx + x*y dx⊗dy + x*y dy⊗dx + (-y + 1) dy⊗dy
+            sage: g.display(eV)
+            g = (1/8*u^2 - 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2) du⊗du + 1/4*u du⊗dv
+             + 1/4*u dv⊗du + (-1/8*u^2 + 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2) dv⊗dv
+        """
+        if not isinstance(symbiform, TensorField):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be a tensor field")
+        if symbiform._tensor_type != (0,2):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be of tensor type (0,2)")
+        if symbiform._sym != ((0,1),):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be symmetric")
+        if not symbiform._domain.is_subset(self._domain):
+            raise TypeError("the symmetric bilinear form is not defined " +
+                            "on the metric domain")
+        self._del_derived()
+        self._restrictions.clear()
+        if isinstance(symbiform, TensorFieldParal):
+            rst = self.restrict(symbiform._domain)
+            rst.set(symbiform)
+        else:
+            for dom, symbiform_rst in symbiform._restrictions.items():
+                rst = self.restrict(dom)
+                rst.set(symbiform_rst)
+
+    def inverse(self, expansion_symbol=None, order=1):
+        r"""
+        Return the inverse metric.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``expansion_symbol`` -- (default: ``None``) symbolic variable; if
+          specified, the inverse will be expanded in power series with respect
+          to this variable (around its zero value)
+        - ``order`` -- integer (default: 1); the order of the expansion
+          if ``expansion_symbol`` is not ``None``; the *order* is defined as
+          the degree of the polynomial representing the truncated power series
+          in ``expansion_symbol``; currently only first order inverse is
+          supported
+
+        If ``expansion_symbol`` is set, then the zeroth order metric must be
+        invertible. Moreover, subsequent calls to this method will return
+        a cached value, even when called with the default value (to enable
+        computation of derived quantities). To reset, use :meth:`_del_derived`.
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField`
+          with ``tensor_type`` = (2,0) representing the inverse metric
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Inverse of the standard metric on the 2-sphere::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'S^2', start_index=1)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') ; V = M.open_subset('V')
+            sage: M.declare_union(U,V)  # S^2 is the union of U and V
+            sage: c_xy.<x,y> = U.chart() ; c_uv.<u,v> = V.chart() # stereographic coord.
+            sage: xy_to_uv = c_xy.transition_map(c_uv, (x/(x^2+y^2), y/(x^2+y^2)),
+            ....:                 intersection_name='W', restrictions1= x^2+y^2!=0,
+            ....:                 restrictions2= u^2+v^2!=0)
+            sage: uv_to_xy = xy_to_uv.inverse()
+            sage: W = U.intersection(V)  # the complement of the two poles
+            sage: eU = c_xy.frame() ; eV = c_uv.frame()
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g[eU,1,1], g[eU,2,2] = 4/(1+x^2+y^2)^2, 4/(1+x^2+y^2)^2
+            sage: g.add_comp_by_continuation(eV, W, c_uv)
+            sage: ginv = g.inverse(); ginv
+            Tensor field inv_g of type (2,0) on the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold S^2
+            sage: ginv.display(eU)
+            inv_g = (1/4*x^4 + 1/4*y^4 + 1/2*(x^2 + 1)*y^2 + 1/2*x^2 + 1/4) ∂/∂x⊗∂/∂x
+             + (1/4*x^4 + 1/4*y^4 + 1/2*(x^2 + 1)*y^2 + 1/2*x^2 + 1/4) ∂/∂y⊗∂/∂y
+            sage: ginv.display(eV)
+            inv_g = (1/4*u^4 + 1/4*v^4 + 1/2*(u^2 + 1)*v^2 + 1/2*u^2 + 1/4) ∂/∂u⊗∂/∂u
+             + (1/4*u^4 + 1/4*v^4 + 1/2*(u^2 + 1)*v^2 + 1/2*u^2 + 1/4) ∂/∂v⊗∂/∂v
+
+        Let us check that ``ginv`` is indeed the inverse of ``g``::
+
+            sage: s = g.contract(ginv); s  # contraction of last index of g with first index of ginv
+            Tensor field of type (1,1) on the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold S^2
+            sage: s == M.tangent_identity_field()
+            True
+        """
+        # Is the inverse metric up to date?
+        for dom, rst in self._restrictions.items():
+            self._inverse._restrictions[dom] = rst.inverse(
+                                             expansion_symbol=expansion_symbol,
+                                             order=order) # forces the update
+                                                          # of the restriction
+        return self._inverse
+
+    def connection(self, name=None, latex_name=None, init_coef=True):
+        r"""
+        Return the unique torsion-free affine connection compatible with
+        ``self``.
+
+        This is the so-called Levi-Civita connection.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``name`` -- (default: ``None``) name given to the Levi-Civita
+          connection; if ``None``, it is formed from the metric name
+        - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the
+          Levi-Civita connection; if ``None``, it is set to ``name``, or if the
+          latter is None as well, it formed from the symbol `\nabla` and the
+          metric symbol
+        - ``init_coef`` -- boolean (default: ``True``); determines whether the
+          connection coefficients are initialized, as Christoffel symbols
+          in the top charts of the domain of ``self`` (i.e. disregarding
+          the subcharts)
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the Levi-Civita connection, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.levi_civita_connection.LeviCivitaConnection`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Levi-Civita connection associated with the Euclidean metric on
+        `\RR^3`::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'R^3', start_index=1)
+
+        Let us use spherical coordinates on `\RR^3`::
+
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') # the complement of the half-plane (y=0, x>=0)
+            sage: c_spher.<r,th,ph> = U.chart(r'r:(0,+oo) th:(0,pi):\theta ph:(0,2*pi):\phi')
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2], g[3,3] = 1, r^2 , (r*sin(th))^2  # the Euclidean metric
+            sage: g.connection()
+            Levi-Civita connection nabla_g associated with the Riemannian
+             metric g on the Open subset U of the 3-dimensional differentiable
+             manifold R^3
+            sage: g.connection().display()  # Nonzero connection coefficients
+            Gam^r_th,th = -r
+            Gam^r_ph,ph = -r*sin(th)^2
+            Gam^th_r,th = 1/r
+            Gam^th_th,r = 1/r
+            Gam^th_ph,ph = -cos(th)*sin(th)
+            Gam^ph_r,ph = 1/r
+            Gam^ph_th,ph = cos(th)/sin(th)
+            Gam^ph_ph,r = 1/r
+            Gam^ph_ph,th = cos(th)/sin(th)
+
+        Test of compatibility with the metric::
+
+            sage: Dg = g.connection()(g) ; Dg
+            Tensor field nabla_g(g) of type (0,3) on the Open subset U of the
+             3-dimensional differentiable manifold R^3
+            sage: Dg == 0
+            True
+            sage: Dig = g.connection()(g.inverse()) ; Dig
+            Tensor field nabla_g(inv_g) of type (2,1) on the Open subset U of
+             the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold R^3
+            sage: Dig == 0
+            True
+        """
+        from sage.manifolds.differentiable.levi_civita_connection import (
+            LeviCivitaConnection,
+        )
+        if self._connection is None:
+            if latex_name is None:
+                if name is None:
+                    latex_name = r'\nabla_{' + self._latex_name + '}'
+                else:
+                    latex_name = name
+            if name is None:
+                name = 'nabla_' + self._name
+            self._connection = LeviCivitaConnection(self, name,
+                                                    latex_name=latex_name,
+                                                    init_coef=init_coef)
+        return self._connection
+
+    def christoffel_symbols(self, chart=None):
+        r"""
+        Christoffel symbols of ``self`` with respect to a chart.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``chart`` -- (default: ``None``) chart with respect to which the
+          Christoffel symbols are required; if none is provided, the
+          default chart of the metric's domain is assumed.
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the set of Christoffel symbols in the given chart, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.tensor.modules.comp.CompWithSym`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Christoffel symbols of the flat metric on `\RR^3` with respect to
+        spherical coordinates::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'R3', r'\RR^3', start_index=1)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') # the complement of the half-plane (y=0, x>=0)
+            sage: X.<r,th,ph> = U.chart(r'r:(0,+oo) th:(0,pi):\theta ph:(0,2*pi):\phi')
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2], g[3,3] = 1, r^2, r^2*sin(th)^2
+            sage: g.display()  # the standard flat metric expressed in spherical coordinates
+            g = dr⊗dr + r^2 dth⊗dth + r^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph
+            sage: Gam = g.christoffel_symbols() ; Gam
+            3-indices components w.r.t. Coordinate frame (U, (∂/∂r,∂/∂th,∂/∂ph)),
+             with symmetry on the index positions (1, 2)
+            sage: type(Gam)
+            <class 'sage.tensor.modules.comp.CompWithSym'>
+            sage: Gam[:]
+            [[[0, 0, 0], [0, -r, 0], [0, 0, -r*sin(th)^2]],
+            [[0, 1/r, 0], [1/r, 0, 0], [0, 0, -cos(th)*sin(th)]],
+            [[0, 0, 1/r], [0, 0, cos(th)/sin(th)], [1/r, cos(th)/sin(th), 0]]]
+            sage: Gam[1,2,2]
+            -r
+            sage: Gam[2,1,2]
+            1/r
+            sage: Gam[3,1,3]
+            1/r
+            sage: Gam[3,2,3]
+            cos(th)/sin(th)
+            sage: Gam[2,3,3]
+            -cos(th)*sin(th)
+
+        Note that a better display of the Christoffel symbols is provided by
+        the method :meth:`christoffel_symbols_display`::
+
+            sage: g.christoffel_symbols_display()
+            Gam^r_th,th = -r
+            Gam^r_ph,ph = -r*sin(th)^2
+            Gam^th_r,th = 1/r
+            Gam^th_ph,ph = -cos(th)*sin(th)
+            Gam^ph_r,ph = 1/r
+            Gam^ph_th,ph = cos(th)/sin(th)
+        """
+        if chart is None:
+            frame = self._domain._def_chart._frame
+        else:
+            frame = chart._frame
+        return self.connection().coef(frame)
+
+    def christoffel_symbols_display(self, chart=None, symbol=None,
+                latex_symbol=None, index_labels=None, index_latex_labels=None,
+                coordinate_labels=True, only_nonzero=True,
+                only_nonredundant=True):
+        r"""
+        Display the Christoffel symbols w.r.t. to a given chart, one
+        per line.
+
+        The output is either text-formatted (console mode) or LaTeX-formatted
+        (notebook mode).
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``chart`` -- (default: ``None``) chart with respect to which the
+          Christoffel symbols are defined; if none is provided, the
+          default chart of the metric's domain is assumed.
+        - ``symbol`` -- (default: ``None``) string specifying the
+          symbol of the connection coefficients; if ``None``, 'Gam' is used
+        - ``latex_symbol`` -- (default: ``None``) string specifying the LaTeX
+          symbol for the components; if ``None``, '\\Gamma' is used
+        - ``index_labels`` -- (default: ``None``) list of strings representing
+          the labels of each index; if ``None``, coordinate symbols are used
+          except if ``coordinate_symbols`` is set to ``False``, in which case
+          integer labels are used
+        - ``index_latex_labels`` -- (default: ``None``) list of strings
+          representing the LaTeX labels of each index; if ``None``, coordinate
+          LaTeX symbols are used, except if ``coordinate_symbols`` is set to
+          ``False``, in which case integer labels are used
+        - ``coordinate_labels`` -- boolean (default: ``True``); if ``True``,
+          coordinate symbols are used by default (instead of integers)
+        - ``only_nonzero`` -- boolean (default: ``True``); if ``True``, only
+          nonzero connection coefficients are displayed
+        - ``only_nonredundant`` -- boolean (default: ``True``); if ``True``,
+          only nonredundant (w.r.t. the symmetry of the last two indices)
+          connection coefficients are displayed
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Christoffel symbols of the flat metric on `\RR^3` with respect to
+        spherical coordinates::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'R3', r'\RR^3', start_index=1)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') # the complement of the half-plane (y=0, x>=0)
+            sage: X.<r,th,ph> = U.chart(r'r:(0,+oo) th:(0,pi):\theta ph:(0,2*pi):\phi')
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2], g[3,3] = 1, r^2, r^2*sin(th)^2
+            sage: g.display()  # the standard flat metric expressed in spherical coordinates
+            g = dr⊗dr + r^2 dth⊗dth + r^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph
+            sage: g.christoffel_symbols_display()
+            Gam^r_th,th = -r
+            Gam^r_ph,ph = -r*sin(th)^2
+            Gam^th_r,th = 1/r
+            Gam^th_ph,ph = -cos(th)*sin(th)
+            Gam^ph_r,ph = 1/r
+            Gam^ph_th,ph = cos(th)/sin(th)
+
+        To list all nonzero Christoffel symbols, including those that can be
+        deduced by symmetry, use ``only_nonredundant=False``::
+
+            sage: g.christoffel_symbols_display(only_nonredundant=False)
+            Gam^r_th,th = -r
+            Gam^r_ph,ph = -r*sin(th)^2
+            Gam^th_r,th = 1/r
+            Gam^th_th,r = 1/r
+            Gam^th_ph,ph = -cos(th)*sin(th)
+            Gam^ph_r,ph = 1/r
+            Gam^ph_th,ph = cos(th)/sin(th)
+            Gam^ph_ph,r = 1/r
+            Gam^ph_ph,th = cos(th)/sin(th)
+
+        Listing all Christoffel symbols (except those that can be deduced by
+        symmetry), including the vanishing one::
+
+            sage: g.christoffel_symbols_display(only_nonzero=False)
+            Gam^r_r,r = 0
+            Gam^r_r,th = 0
+            Gam^r_r,ph = 0
+            Gam^r_th,th = -r
+            Gam^r_th,ph = 0
+            Gam^r_ph,ph = -r*sin(th)^2
+            Gam^th_r,r = 0
+            Gam^th_r,th = 1/r
+            Gam^th_r,ph = 0
+            Gam^th_th,th = 0
+            Gam^th_th,ph = 0
+            Gam^th_ph,ph = -cos(th)*sin(th)
+            Gam^ph_r,r = 0
+            Gam^ph_r,th = 0
+            Gam^ph_r,ph = 1/r
+            Gam^ph_th,th = 0
+            Gam^ph_th,ph = cos(th)/sin(th)
+            Gam^ph_ph,ph = 0
+
+        Using integer labels::
+
+            sage: g.christoffel_symbols_display(coordinate_labels=False)
+            Gam^1_22 = -r
+            Gam^1_33 = -r*sin(th)^2
+            Gam^2_12 = 1/r
+            Gam^2_33 = -cos(th)*sin(th)
+            Gam^3_13 = 1/r
+            Gam^3_23 = cos(th)/sin(th)
+        """
+        if chart is None:
+            chart = self._domain.default_chart()
+        return self.connection().display(frame=chart.frame(), chart=chart,
+              symbol=symbol, latex_symbol=latex_symbol,
+              index_labels=index_labels, index_latex_labels=index_latex_labels,
+              coordinate_labels=coordinate_labels, only_nonzero=only_nonzero,
+              only_nonredundant=only_nonredundant)
+
+    def riemann(self, name=None, latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the Riemann curvature tensor associated with the metric.
+
+        This method is actually a shortcut for ``self.connection().riemann()``
+
+        The Riemann curvature tensor is the tensor field `R` of type (1,3)
+        defined by
+
+        .. MATH::
+
+            R(\omega, u, v, w) = \left\langle \omega, \nabla_u \nabla_v w
+                - \nabla_v \nabla_u w - \nabla_{[u, v]} w \right\rangle
+
+        for any 1-form  `\omega`  and any vector fields `u`, `v` and `w`.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``name`` -- (default: ``None``) name given to the Riemann tensor;
+          if none, it is set to "Riem(g)", where "g" is the metric's name
+        - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the
+          Riemann tensor; if none, it is set to "\\mathrm{Riem}(g)", where "g"
+          is the metric's name
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the Riemann curvature tensor `R`, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Riemann tensor of the standard metric on the 2-sphere::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'S^2', start_index=1)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') # the complement of a meridian (domain of spherical coordinates)
+            sage: c_spher.<th,ph> = U.chart(r'th:(0,pi):\theta ph:(0,2*pi):\phi')
+            sage: a = var('a') # the sphere radius
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2] = a^2, a^2*sin(th)^2
+            sage: g.display() # standard metric on the 2-sphere of radius a:
+            g = a^2 dth⊗dth + a^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph
+            sage: g.riemann()
+            Tensor field Riem(g) of type (1,3) on the Open subset U of the
+             2-dimensional differentiable manifold S^2
+            sage: g.riemann()[:]
+            [[[[0, 0], [0, 0]], [[0, sin(th)^2], [-sin(th)^2, 0]]],
+             [[[0, -1], [1, 0]], [[0, 0], [0, 0]]]]
+
+        In dimension 2, the Riemann tensor can be expressed entirely in terms of
+        the Ricci scalar `r`:
+
+        .. MATH::
+
+            R^i_{\ \, jlk} = \frac{r}{2} \left( \delta^i_{\ \, k} g_{jl}
+                - \delta^i_{\ \, l} g_{jk} \right)
+
+        This formula can be checked here, with the r.h.s. rewritten as
+        `-r g_{j[k} \delta^i_{\ \, l]}`::
+
+            sage: g.riemann() == \
+            ....:  -g.ricci_scalar()*(g*U.tangent_identity_field()).antisymmetrize(2,3)
+            True
+
+        Using SymPy as symbolic engine::
+
+            sage: M.set_calculus_method('sympy')
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2] = a**2, a**2*sin(th)**2
+            sage: g.riemann()[:]
+            [[[[0, 0], [0, 0]],
+              [[0, sin(2*th)/(2*tan(th)) - cos(2*th)],
+               [-sin(2*th)/(2*tan(th)) + cos(2*th), 0]]],
+             [[[0, -1], [1, 0]], [[0, 0], [0, 0]]]]
+        """
+        return self.connection().riemann(name, latex_name)
+
+    def ricci(self, name=None, latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the Ricci tensor associated with the metric.
+
+        This method is actually a shortcut for ``self.connection().ricci()``
+
+        The Ricci tensor is the tensor field `Ric` of type (0,2)
+        defined from the Riemann curvature tensor `R` by
+
+        .. MATH::
+
+            Ric(u, v) = R(e^i, u, e_i, v)
+
+        for any vector fields `u` and `v`, `(e_i)` being any vector frame and
+        `(e^i)` the dual coframe.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``name`` -- (default: ``None``) name given to the Ricci tensor;
+          if none, it is set to "Ric(g)", where "g" is the metric's name
+        - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the
+          Ricci tensor; if none, it is set to "\\mathrm{Ric}(g)", where "g"
+          is the metric's name
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the Ricci tensor `Ric`, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField` of tensor
+          type (0,2) and symmetric
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Ricci tensor of the standard metric on the 2-sphere::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'S^2', start_index=1)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') # the complement of a meridian (domain of spherical coordinates)
+            sage: c_spher.<th,ph> = U.chart(r'th:(0,pi):\theta ph:(0,2*pi):\phi')
+            sage: a = var('a') # the sphere radius
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2] = a^2, a^2*sin(th)^2
+            sage: g.display() # standard metric on the 2-sphere of radius a:
+            g = a^2 dth⊗dth + a^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph
+            sage: g.ricci()
+            Field of symmetric bilinear forms Ric(g) on the Open subset U of
+             the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold S^2
+            sage: g.ricci()[:]
+            [        1         0]
+            [        0 sin(th)^2]
+            sage: g.ricci() == a^(-2) * g
+            True
+        """
+        return self.connection().ricci(name, latex_name)
+
+    def ricci_scalar(self, name=None, latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the Ricci scalar associated with the metric.
+
+        The Ricci scalar is the scalar field `r` defined from the Ricci tensor
+        `Ric` and the metric tensor `g` by
+
+        .. MATH::
+
+            r = g^{ij} Ric_{ij}
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``name`` -- (default: ``None``) name given to the Ricci scalar;
+          if none, it is set to "r(g)", where "g" is the metric's name
+        - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the
+          Ricci scalar; if none, it is set to "\\mathrm{r}(g)", where "g"
+          is the metric's name
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the Ricci scalar `r`, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.scalarfield.DiffScalarField`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Ricci scalar of the standard metric on the 2-sphere::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'S^2', start_index=1)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') # the complement of a meridian (domain of spherical coordinates)
+            sage: c_spher.<th,ph> = U.chart(r'th:(0,pi):\theta ph:(0,2*pi):\phi')
+            sage: a = var('a') # the sphere radius
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2] = a^2, a^2*sin(th)^2
+            sage: g.display() # standard metric on the 2-sphere of radius a:
+            g = a^2 dth⊗dth + a^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph
+            sage: g.ricci_scalar()
+            Scalar field r(g) on the Open subset U of the 2-dimensional
+             differentiable manifold S^2
+            sage: g.ricci_scalar().display() # The Ricci scalar is constant:
+            r(g): U → ℝ
+               (th, ph) ↦ 2/a^2
+
+        """
+        if self._ricci_scalar is None:
+            resu = self.inverse().contract(0, 1, self.ricci(), 0, 1)
+            if name is None:
+                name = "r(" + self._name + ")"
+            if latex_name is None:
+                latex_name = r"\mathrm{r}\left(" + self._latex_name + \
+                              r"\right)"
+            resu._name = name
+            resu._latex_name = latex_name
+            self._ricci_scalar = resu
+        return self._ricci_scalar
+
+    def weyl(self, name=None, latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the Weyl conformal tensor associated with the metric.
+
+        The Weyl conformal tensor is the tensor field `C` of type (1,3)
+        defined as the trace-free part of the Riemann curvature tensor `R`
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``name`` -- (default: ``None``) name given to the Weyl conformal
+          tensor; if ``None``, it is set to "C(g)", where "g" is the metric's
+          name
+        - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the
+          Weyl conformal tensor; if ``None``, it is set to "\\mathrm{C}(g)",
+          where "g" is the metric's name
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the Weyl conformal tensor `C`, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Checking that the Weyl tensor identically vanishes on a 3-dimensional
+        manifold, for instance the hyperbolic space `H^3`::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'H^3', start_index=1)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') # the complement of the half-plane (y=0, x>=0)
+            sage: X.<rh,th,ph> = U.chart(r'rh:(0,+oo):\rho th:(0,pi):\theta  ph:(0,2*pi):\phi')
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: b = var('b')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2], g[3,3] = b^2, (b*sinh(rh))^2, (b*sinh(rh)*sin(th))^2
+            sage: g.display()  # standard metric on H^3:
+            g = b^2 drh⊗drh + b^2*sinh(rh)^2 dth⊗dth
+             + b^2*sin(th)^2*sinh(rh)^2 dph⊗dph
+            sage: C = g.weyl() ; C
+            Tensor field C(g) of type (1,3) on the Open subset U of the
+             3-dimensional differentiable manifold H^3
+            sage: C == 0
+            True
+        """
+        if self._weyl is None:
+            n = self._ambient_domain.dimension()
+            if n < 3:
+                raise ValueError("the Weyl tensor is not defined for a " +
+                                 "manifold of dimension n <= 2")
+            delta = self._domain.tangent_identity_field(dest_map=self._vmodule._dest_map)
+            riem = self.riemann()
+            ric = self.ricci()
+            rscal = self.ricci_scalar()
+            # First index of the Ricci tensor raised with the metric
+            ricup = ric.up(self, 0)
+            aux = self*ricup + ric*delta - rscal/(n-1) * self*delta
+            self._weyl = riem + 2/(n-2) * aux.antisymmetrize(2,3)
+            if name is None:
+                name = "C(" + self._name + ")"
+            if latex_name is None:
+                latex_name = r"\mathrm{C}\left(" + self._latex_name + r"\right)"
+            self._weyl.set_name(name=name, latex_name=latex_name)
+        return self._weyl
+
+    def schouten(self, name=None, latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the Schouten tensor associated with the metric.
+
+        The Schouten tensor is the tensor field `Sc` of type (0,2) defined
+        from the Ricci curvature tensor `Ric` (see :meth:`ricci`) and the
+        scalar curvature `r` (see :meth:`ricci_scalar`) and the metric `g` by
+
+        .. MATH::
+
+            Sc(u, v) = \frac{1}{n-2}\left(Ric(u, v) + \frac{r}{2(n-1)}g(u,v)
+            \right)
+
+        for any vector fields `u` and `v`.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``name`` -- (default: ``None``) name given to the Schouten tensor;
+          if none, it is set to "Schouten(g)", where "g" is the metric's name
+        - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the
+          Schouten tensor; if none, it is set to "\\mathrm{Schouten}(g)",
+          where "g" is the metric's name
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the Schouten tensor `Sc`, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField` of tensor
+          type (0,2) and symmetric
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Schouten tensor of the left invariant metric of Heisenberg's
+        Nil group::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'Nil', start_index=1)
+            sage: X.<x,y,z> = M.chart()
+            sage: g = M.riemannian_metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2], g[2,3], g[3,3] = 1, 1+x^2, -x, 1
+            sage: g.display()
+            g = dx⊗dx + (x^2 + 1) dy⊗dy - x dy⊗dz - x dz⊗dy + dz⊗dz
+            sage: g.schouten()
+            Field of symmetric bilinear forms Schouten(g) on the 3-dimensional
+             differentiable manifold Nil
+            sage: g.schouten().display()
+            Schouten(g) = -3/8 dx⊗dx + (5/8*x^2 - 3/8) dy⊗dy - 5/8*x dy⊗dz
+             - 5/8*x dz⊗dy + 5/8 dz⊗dz
+        """
+        n = self._ambient_domain.dimension()
+        if n < 3:
+            raise ValueError("the Schouten tensor is only defined for a " +
+                             "manifold of dimension >= 3")
+        if self._schouten is None:
+            s = (1/(n-2))*self.ricci() - (self.ricci_scalar()/(2*(n-1)*(n-2)))*self
+            name = name or 'Schouten(' + self._name + ')'
+            latex_name = latex_name or r'\mathrm{Schouten}(' + self._latex_name + ')'
+            s.set_name(name=name, latex_name=latex_name)
+            self._schouten = s
+        return self._schouten
+
+    def cotton(self, name=None, latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the Cotton conformal tensor associated with the metric.
+        The tensor has type (0,3) and is defined in terms of the Schouten
+        tensor `S` (see :meth:`schouten`):
+
+        .. MATH::
+
+            C_{ijk} = (n-2) \left(\nabla_k S_{ij}
+            - \nabla_j S_{ik}\right)
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``name`` -- (default: ``None``) name given to the Cotton conformal
+          tensor; if ``None``, it is set to "Cot(g)", where "g" is the metric's
+          name
+        - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the
+          Cotton conformal tensor; if ``None``, it is set to "\\mathrm{Cot}(g)",
+          where "g" is the metric's name
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the Cotton conformal tensor `Cot`, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Checking that the Cotton tensor identically vanishes on a conformally flat
+        3-dimensional manifold, for instance the hyperbolic space `H^3`::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'H^3', start_index=1)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') # the complement of the half-plane (y=0, x>=0)
+            sage: X.<rh,th,ph> = U.chart(r'rh:(0,+oo):\rho th:(0,pi):\theta  ph:(0,2*pi):\phi')
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: b = var('b')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2], g[3,3] = b^2, (b*sinh(rh))^2, (b*sinh(rh)*sin(th))^2
+            sage: g.display()  # standard metric on H^3:
+            g = b^2 drh⊗drh + b^2*sinh(rh)^2 dth⊗dth
+             + b^2*sin(th)^2*sinh(rh)^2 dph⊗dph
+            sage: Cot = g.cotton() ; Cot # long time
+            Tensor field Cot(g) of type (0,3) on the Open subset U of the
+             3-dimensional differentiable manifold H^3
+            sage: Cot == 0 # long time
+            True
+        """
+        n = self._ambient_domain.dimension()
+        if n < 3:
+            raise ValueError("the Cotton tensor is only defined for a " +
+                             "manifold of dimension >= 3")
+        if self._cotton is None:
+            nabla = self.connection()
+            s = self.schouten()
+            cot = 2*(n-2)*nabla(s).antisymmetrize(1,2)
+            name = name or 'Cot(' + self._name + ')'
+            latex_name = latex_name or r'\mathrm{Cot}(' + self._latex_name + ')'
+            cot.set_name(name=name, latex_name=latex_name)
+            self._cotton = cot
+        return self._cotton
+
+    def cotton_york(self, name=None, latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the Cotton-York conformal tensor associated with the metric.
+        The tensor has type (0,2) and is only defined for manifolds of
+        dimension 3. It is defined in terms of the Cotton tensor `C`
+        (see :meth:`cotton`) or the Schouten tensor `S` (see :meth:`schouten`):
+
+        .. MATH::
+
+            CY_{ij} = \frac{1}{2} \epsilon^{kl}_{\ \ \, i} C_{jlk}
+                    = \epsilon^{kl}_{\ \ \, i} \nabla_k S_{lj}
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``name`` -- (default: ``None``) name given to the Cotton-York
+          tensor; if ``None``, it is set to "CY(g)", where "g" is the metric's
+          name
+        - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the
+          Cotton-York tensor; if ``None``, it is set to "\\mathrm{CY}(g)",
+          where "g" is the metric's name
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the Cotton-York conformal tensor `CY`, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Compute the determinant of the Cotton-York tensor for the Heisenberg
+        group with the left invariant metric::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'Nil', start_index=1)
+            sage: X.<x,y,z> = M.chart()
+            sage: g = M.riemannian_metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2], g[2,3], g[3,3] = 1, 1+x^2, -x, 1
+            sage: g.display()
+            g = dx⊗dx + (x^2 + 1) dy⊗dy - x dy⊗dz - x dz⊗dy + dz⊗dz
+            sage: CY = g.cotton_york() ; CY # long time
+            Tensor field CY(g) of type (0,2) on the 3-dimensional
+             differentiable manifold Nil
+            sage: CY.display()  # long time
+            CY(g) = 1/2 dx⊗dx + (-x^2 + 1/2) dy⊗dy + x dy⊗dz + x dz⊗dy - dz⊗dz
+            sage: det(CY[:]) # long time
+            -1/4
+        """
+        n = self._ambient_domain.dimension()
+        if n != 3:
+            raise ValueError("the Cotton-York tensor is only defined for a " +
+                             "manifold of dimension 3")
+        if self._cotton_york is None:
+            cot = self.cotton()
+            eps = self.volume_form(2)
+            cy = eps.contract(0, 1, cot, 2, 1)/2
+            name = name or 'CY(' + self._name + ')'
+            latex_name = latex_name or r'\mathrm{CY}(' + self._latex_name + ')'
+            cy.set_name(name=name, latex_name=latex_name)
+            self._cotton_york = cy
+        return self._cotton_york
+
+    def determinant(self, frame=None):
+        r"""
+        Determinant of the metric components in the specified frame.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``frame`` -- (default: ``None``) vector frame with
+          respect to which the components `g_{ij}` of the metric are defined;
+          if ``None``, the default frame of the metric's domain is used. If a
+          chart is provided instead of a frame, the associated coordinate
+          frame is used
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the determinant `\det (g_{ij})`, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.scalarfield.DiffScalarField`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Metric determinant on a 2-dimensional manifold::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M', start_index=1)
+            sage: X.<x,y> = M.chart()
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[1, 2], g[2, 2] = 1+x, x*y , 1-y
+            sage: g[:]
+            [ x + 1    x*y]
+            [   x*y -y + 1]
+            sage: s = g.determinant()  # determinant in M's default frame
+            sage: s.expr()
+            -x^2*y^2 - (x + 1)*y + x + 1
+
+        A shortcut is ``det()``::
+
+            sage: g.det() == g.determinant()
+            True
+
+        The notation ``det(g)`` can be used::
+
+            sage: det(g) == g.determinant()
+            True
+
+        Determinant in a frame different from the default's one::
+
+            sage: Y.<u,v> = M.chart()
+            sage: ch_X_Y = X.transition_map(Y, [x+y, x-y])
+            sage: ch_X_Y.inverse()
+            Change of coordinates from Chart (M, (u, v)) to Chart (M, (x, y))
+            sage: g.comp(Y.frame())[:, Y]
+            [ 1/8*u^2 - 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2                            1/4*u]
+            [                           1/4*u -1/8*u^2 + 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2]
+            sage: g.determinant(Y.frame()).expr()
+            -1/4*x^2*y^2 - 1/4*(x + 1)*y + 1/4*x + 1/4
+            sage: g.determinant(Y.frame()).expr(Y)
+            -1/64*u^4 - 1/64*v^4 + 1/32*(u^2 + 2)*v^2 - 1/16*u^2 + 1/4*v + 1/4
+
+        A chart can be passed instead of a frame::
+
+            sage: g.determinant(X) is g.determinant(X.frame())
+            True
+            sage: g.determinant(Y) is g.determinant(Y.frame())
+            True
+
+        The metric determinant depends on the frame::
+
+            sage: g.determinant(X.frame()) == g.determinant(Y.frame())
+            False
+
+        Using SymPy as symbolic engine::
+
+            sage: M.set_calculus_method('sympy')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[1, 2], g[2, 2] = 1+x, x*y , 1-y
+            sage: s = g.determinant()  # determinant in M's default frame
+            sage: s.expr()
+            -x**2*y**2 + x - y*(x + 1) + 1
+        """
+        from sage.matrix.constructor import matrix
+        dom = self._domain
+        if frame is None:
+            frame = dom._def_frame
+        if frame in dom._atlas:
+            # frame is actually a chart and is changed to the associated
+            # coordinate frame:
+            frame = frame._frame
+        if frame not in self._determinants:
+            # a new computation is necessary
+            resu = frame._domain.scalar_field()
+            manif = self._ambient_domain
+            gg = self.comp(frame)
+            i1 = manif.start_index()
+            for chart in gg[[i1, i1]]._express:
+                # TODO: do the computation without the 'SR' enforcement
+                gm = matrix( [[ gg[i, j, chart].expr(method='SR')
+                            for j in manif.irange()] for i in manif.irange()] )
+                detgm = chart.simplify(gm.det(), method='SR')
+                resu.add_expr(detgm, chart=chart)
+            self._determinants[frame] = resu
+        return self._determinants[frame]
+
+    det = determinant
+
+    def sqrt_abs_det(self, frame=None):
+        r"""
+        Square root of the absolute value of the determinant of the metric
+        components in the specified frame.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``frame`` -- (default: ``None``) vector frame with
+          respect to which the components `g_{ij}` of ``self`` are defined;
+          if ``None``, the domain's default frame is used. If a chart is
+          provided, the associated coordinate frame is used
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - `\sqrt{|\det (g_{ij})|}`, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.scalarfield.DiffScalarField`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Standard metric in the Euclidean space `\RR^3` with spherical
+        coordinates::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M', start_index=1)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') # the complement of the half-plane (y=0, x>=0)
+            sage: c_spher.<r,th,ph> = U.chart(r'r:(0,+oo) th:(0,pi):\theta ph:(0,2*pi):\phi')
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2], g[3,3] = 1, r^2, (r*sin(th))^2
+            sage: g.display()
+            g = dr⊗dr + r^2 dth⊗dth + r^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph
+            sage: g.sqrt_abs_det().expr()
+            r^2*sin(th)
+
+        Metric determinant on a 2-dimensional manifold::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M', start_index=1)
+            sage: X.<x,y> = M.chart()
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[1, 2], g[2, 2] = 1+x, x*y , 1-y
+            sage: g[:]
+            [ x + 1    x*y]
+            [   x*y -y + 1]
+            sage: s = g.sqrt_abs_det() ; s
+            Scalar field on the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: s.expr()
+            sqrt(-x^2*y^2 - (x + 1)*y + x + 1)
+
+        Determinant in a frame different from the default's one::
+
+            sage: Y.<u,v> = M.chart()
+            sage: ch_X_Y = X.transition_map(Y, [x+y, x-y])
+            sage: ch_X_Y.inverse()
+            Change of coordinates from Chart (M, (u, v)) to Chart (M, (x, y))
+            sage: g[Y.frame(),:,Y]
+            [ 1/8*u^2 - 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2                            1/4*u]
+            [                           1/4*u -1/8*u^2 + 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2]
+            sage: g.sqrt_abs_det(Y.frame()).expr()
+            1/2*sqrt(-x^2*y^2 - (x + 1)*y + x + 1)
+            sage: g.sqrt_abs_det(Y.frame()).expr(Y)
+            1/8*sqrt(-u^4 - v^4 + 2*(u^2 + 2)*v^2 - 4*u^2 + 16*v + 16)
+
+        A chart can be passed instead of a frame::
+
+            sage: g.sqrt_abs_det(Y) is g.sqrt_abs_det(Y.frame())
+            True
+
+        The metric determinant depends on the frame::
+
+            sage: g.sqrt_abs_det(X.frame()) == g.sqrt_abs_det(Y.frame())
+            False
+
+        Using SymPy as symbolic engine::
+
+            sage: M.set_calculus_method('sympy')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[1, 2], g[2, 2] = 1+x, x*y , 1-y
+            sage: g.sqrt_abs_det().expr()
+            sqrt(-x**2*y**2 - x*y + x - y + 1)
+            sage: g.sqrt_abs_det(Y.frame()).expr()
+            sqrt(-x**2*y**2 - x*y + x - y + 1)/2
+            sage: g.sqrt_abs_det(Y.frame()).expr(Y)
+            sqrt(-u**4 + 2*u**2*v**2 - 4*u**2 - v**4 + 4*v**2 + 16*v + 16)/8
+        """
+        dom = self._domain
+        if frame is None:
+            frame = dom._def_frame
+        if frame in dom._atlas:
+            # frame is actually a chart and is changed to the associated
+            # coordinate frame:
+            frame = frame._frame
+        if frame not in self._sqrt_abs_dets:
+            # a new computation is necessary
+            detg = self.determinant(frame)
+            resu = frame._domain.scalar_field()
+            for chart, funct in detg._express.items():
+                x = (self._indic_signat * funct).sqrt().expr()
+                resu.add_expr(x, chart=chart)
+            self._sqrt_abs_dets[frame] = resu
+        return self._sqrt_abs_dets[frame]
+
+    @overload
+    def volume_form(self) -> DiffForm: ...
+    @overload
+    def volume_form(self, contra: int) -> TensorField: ...
+    def volume_form(self, contra=0):
+        r"""
+        Volume form (Levi-Civita tensor) `\epsilon` associated with the metric.
+
+        The volume form `\epsilon` is an `n`-form (`n` being the manifold's
+        dimension) such that for any oriented vector basis `(e_i)` which is
+        orthonormal with respect to the metric, the condition
+
+        .. MATH::
+
+            \epsilon(e_1,\ldots,e_n) = 1
+
+        holds.
+
+        Notice that a volume form requires an orientable manifold with
+        a preferred orientation, see
+        :meth:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.manifold.DifferentiableManifold.orientation`
+        for details.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``contra`` -- (default: 0) number of contravariant indices of the
+          returned tensor
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - if ``contra = 0`` (default value): the volume `n`-form `\epsilon`, as
+          an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.diff_form.DiffForm`
+        - if ``contra = k``, with `1\leq k \leq n`, the tensor field of type
+          (k,n-k) formed from `\epsilon` by raising the first k indices with
+          the metric (see method
+          :meth:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField.up`);
+          the output is then an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField`, with
+          the appropriate antisymmetries, or of the subclass
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.multivectorfield.MultivectorField`
+          if `k=n`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Volume form on `\RR^3` with spherical coordinates, using the standard
+        orientation, which is predefined::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M', start_index=1)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') # the complement of the half-plane (y=0, x>=0)
+            sage: c_spher.<r,th,ph> = U.chart(r'r:(0,+oo) th:(0,pi):\theta ph:(0,2*pi):\phi')
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2], g[3,3] = 1, r^2, (r*sin(th))^2
+            sage: g.display()
+            g = dr⊗dr + r^2 dth⊗dth + r^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph
+            sage: eps = g.volume_form() ; eps
+            3-form eps_g on the Open subset U of the 3-dimensional
+             differentiable manifold M
+            sage: eps.display()
+            eps_g = r^2*sin(th) dr∧dth∧dph
+            sage: eps[[1,2,3]] == g.sqrt_abs_det()
+            True
+            sage: latex(eps)
+            \epsilon_{g}
+
+        The tensor field of components `\epsilon^i_{\ \, jk}` (``contra=1``)::
+
+            sage: eps1 = g.volume_form(1) ; eps1
+            Tensor field of type (1,2) on the Open subset U of the
+             3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: eps1.symmetries()
+            no symmetry;  antisymmetry: (1, 2)
+            sage: eps1[:]
+            [[[0, 0, 0], [0, 0, r^2*sin(th)], [0, -r^2*sin(th), 0]],
+             [[0, 0, -sin(th)], [0, 0, 0], [sin(th), 0, 0]],
+             [[0, 1/sin(th), 0], [-1/sin(th), 0, 0], [0, 0, 0]]]
+
+        The tensor field of components `\epsilon^{ij}_{\ \ k}` (``contra=2``)::
+
+            sage: eps2 = g.volume_form(2) ; eps2
+            Tensor field of type (2,1) on the Open subset U of the
+             3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: eps2.symmetries()
+            no symmetry;  antisymmetry: (0, 1)
+            sage: eps2[:]
+            [[[0, 0, 0], [0, 0, sin(th)], [0, -1/sin(th), 0]],
+             [[0, 0, -sin(th)], [0, 0, 0], [1/(r^2*sin(th)), 0, 0]],
+             [[0, 1/sin(th), 0], [-1/(r^2*sin(th)), 0, 0], [0, 0, 0]]]
+
+        The tensor field of components `\epsilon^{ijk}` (``contra=3``)::
+
+            sage: eps3 = g.volume_form(3) ; eps3
+            3-vector field on the Open subset U of the 3-dimensional
+             differentiable manifold M
+            sage: eps3.tensor_type()
+            (3, 0)
+            sage: eps3.symmetries()
+            no symmetry;  antisymmetry: (0, 1, 2)
+            sage: eps3[:]
+            [[[0, 0, 0], [0, 0, 1/(r^2*sin(th))], [0, -1/(r^2*sin(th)), 0]],
+             [[0, 0, -1/(r^2*sin(th))], [0, 0, 0], [1/(r^2*sin(th)), 0, 0]],
+             [[0, 1/(r^2*sin(th)), 0], [-1/(r^2*sin(th)), 0, 0], [0, 0, 0]]]
+            sage: eps3[1,2,3]
+            1/(r^2*sin(th))
+            sage: eps3[[1,2,3]] * g.sqrt_abs_det() == 1
+            True
+
+        If the manifold has no predefined orientation, an orientation must be
+        set before invoking ``volume_form()``. For instance let consider the
+        2-sphere described by the stereographic charts from the North and
+        South pole::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M', structure='Riemannian')
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U'); V = M.open_subset('V')
+            sage: M.declare_union(U, V)
+            sage: c_xy.<x,y> = U.chart()  # stereographic chart from the North pole
+            sage: c_uv.<u,v> = V.chart()  # stereographic chart from the South pole
+            sage: xy_to_uv = c_xy.transition_map(c_uv, (x/(x^2+y^2), y/(x^2+y^2)),
+            ....:                intersection_name='W', restrictions1= x^2+y^2!=0,
+            ....:                restrictions2= u^2+v^2!=0)
+            sage: uv_to_xy = xy_to_uv.inverse()
+            sage: eU = c_xy.frame(); eV = c_uv.frame()
+            sage: g = M.metric()
+            sage: g[eU,0,0], g[eU,1,1] = 4/(1+x^2+y^2)^2, 4/(1+x^2+y^2)^2
+            sage: g.add_comp_by_continuation(eV, U.intersection(V), chart=c_uv)
+            sage: eps = g.volume_form()
+            Traceback (most recent call last):
+            ...
+            ValueError: 2-dimensional Riemannian manifold M must admit an
+             orientation
+
+        Let us define the orientation of ``M`` such that ``eU`` is
+        right-handed; ``eV`` is then left-handed and in order to define an
+        orientation on the whole of ``M``, we introduce a vector frame on ``V``
+        by swapping ``eV``'s vectors::
+
+            sage: f = V.vector_frame('f', (eV[1], eV[0]))
+            sage: M.set_orientation([eU, f])
+
+        We have then, factorizing the components for a nicer display::
+
+            sage: eps = g.volume_form()
+            sage: eps.apply_map(factor, frame=eU, keep_other_components=True)
+            sage: eps.apply_map(factor, frame=eV, keep_other_components=True)
+            sage: eps.display(eU)
+            eps_g = 4/(x^2 + y^2 + 1)^2 dx∧dy
+            sage: eps.display(eV)
+            eps_g = -4/(u^2 + v^2 + 1)^2 du∧dv
+
+        Note the minus sign in the above expression, reflecting the fact that
+        ``eV`` is left-handed with respect to the chosen orientation.
+        """
+        dom = self._domain
+        orient = dom.orientation()
+        manif = self._ambient_domain
+        ndim = manif.dimension()
+        if not orient:
+            raise ValueError('{} must admit an orientation'.format(dom))
+        if contra > ndim:
+            raise ValueError('The number of contravariant indices is greater '
+                             'than the manifold dimension')
+        if self._vol_forms == []:
+            # a new computation is necessary
+            # The result is constructed on the vector field module,
+            # so that dest_map is taken automatically into account:
+            eps = self._vmodule.alternating_form(ndim, name='eps_'+self._name,
+                                latex_name=r'\epsilon_{'+self._latex_name+r'}')
+            si = manif.start_index()
+            ind = tuple(range(si, si+ndim))
+            for frame in orient:
+                if frame.destination_map() is frame.domain().identity_map():
+                    eps.add_comp(frame)[[ind]] = self.sqrt_abs_det(frame)
+            self._vol_forms.append(eps)  # Levi-Civita tensor constructed
+        if contra >= len(self._vol_forms):
+            # Tensors related to the Levi-Civita one by index rising:
+            for k in range(len(self._vol_forms), contra+1):
+                epskm1 = self._vol_forms[k-1]
+                epsk = epskm1.up(self, k-1)
+                if k > 1:
+                    # restoring the antisymmetry after the up operation:
+                    epsk = epsk.antisymmetrize(*range(k))
+                self._vol_forms.append(epsk)
+        return self._vol_forms[contra]
+
+    def hodge_star(self, pform: DiffForm) -> DiffForm:
+        r"""
+        Compute the Hodge dual of a differential form with respect to the
+        metric.
+
+        If the differential form is a `p`-form `A`, its *Hodge dual* with
+        respect to the metric `g` is the
+        `(n-p)`-form `*A` defined by
+
+        .. MATH::
+
+            *A_{i_1\ldots i_{n-p}} = \frac{1}{p!} A_{k_1\ldots k_p}
+                \epsilon^{k_1\ldots k_p}_{\qquad\ i_1\ldots i_{n-p}}
+
+        where `n` is the manifold's dimension, `\epsilon` is the volume
+        `n`-form associated with `g` (see :meth:`volume_form`) and the indices
+        `k_1,\ldots, k_p` are raised with `g`.
+
+        Notice that the Hodge star dual requires an orientable manifold
+        with a preferred orientation, see
+        :meth:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.manifold.DifferentiableManifold.orientation`
+        for details.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``pform`` -- a `p`-form `A`; must be an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.scalarfield.DiffScalarField`
+          for `p=0` and of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.diff_form.DiffForm` or
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.diff_form.DiffFormParal`
+          for `p\geq 1`.
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the `(n-p)`-form `*A`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Hodge dual of a 1-form in the Euclidean space `R^3`::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M', start_index=1)
+            sage: X.<x,y,z> = M.chart()
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2], g[3,3] = 1, 1, 1
+            sage: var('Ax Ay Az')
+            (Ax, Ay, Az)
+            sage: a = M.one_form(Ax, Ay, Az, name='A')
+            sage: sa = g.hodge_star(a) ; sa
+            2-form *A on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: sa.display()
+            *A = Az dx∧dy - Ay dx∧dz + Ax dy∧dz
+            sage: ssa = g.hodge_star(sa) ; ssa
+            1-form **A on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: ssa.display()
+            **A = Ax dx + Ay dy + Az dz
+            sage: ssa == a  # must hold for a Riemannian metric in dimension 3
+            True
+
+        Hodge dual of a 0-form (scalar field) in `R^3`::
+
+            sage: f = M.scalar_field(function('F')(x,y,z), name='f')
+            sage: sf = g.hodge_star(f) ; sf
+            3-form *f on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: sf.display()
+            *f = F(x, y, z) dx∧dy∧dz
+            sage: ssf = g.hodge_star(sf) ; ssf
+            Scalar field **f on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: ssf.display()
+            **f: M → ℝ
+               (x, y, z) ↦ F(x, y, z)
+            sage: ssf == f # must hold for a Riemannian metric
+            True
+
+        Hodge dual of a 0-form in Minkowski spacetime::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(4, 'M')
+            sage: X.<t,x,y,z> = M.chart()
+            sage: g = M.lorentzian_metric('g')
+            sage: g[0,0], g[1,1], g[2,2], g[3,3] = -1, 1, 1, 1
+            sage: g.display()  # Minkowski metric
+            g = -dt⊗dt + dx⊗dx + dy⊗dy + dz⊗dz
+            sage: var('f0')
+            f0
+            sage: f = M.scalar_field(f0, name='f')
+            sage: sf = g.hodge_star(f) ; sf
+            4-form *f on the 4-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: sf.display()
+            *f = f0 dt∧dx∧dy∧dz
+            sage: ssf = g.hodge_star(sf) ; ssf
+            Scalar field **f on the 4-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: ssf.display()
+            **f: M → ℝ
+               (t, x, y, z) ↦ -f0
+            sage: ssf == -f  # must hold for a Lorentzian metric
+            True
+
+        Hodge dual of a 1-form in Minkowski spacetime::
+
+            sage: var('At Ax Ay Az')
+            (At, Ax, Ay, Az)
+            sage: a = M.one_form(At, Ax, Ay, Az, name='A')
+            sage: a.display()
+            A = At dt + Ax dx + Ay dy + Az dz
+            sage: sa = g.hodge_star(a) ; sa
+            3-form *A on the 4-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: sa.display()
+            *A = -Az dt∧dx∧dy + Ay dt∧dx∧dz - Ax dt∧dy∧dz - At dx∧dy∧dz
+            sage: ssa = g.hodge_star(sa) ; ssa
+            1-form **A on the 4-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: ssa.display()
+            **A = At dt + Ax dx + Ay dy + Az dz
+            sage: ssa == a  # must hold for a Lorentzian metric in dimension 4
+            True
+
+        Hodge dual of a 2-form in Minkowski spacetime::
+
+            sage: F = M.diff_form(2, name='F')
+            sage: var('Ex Ey Ez Bx By Bz')
+            (Ex, Ey, Ez, Bx, By, Bz)
+            sage: F[0,1], F[0,2], F[0,3] = -Ex, -Ey, -Ez
+            sage: F[1,2], F[1,3], F[2,3] = Bz, -By, Bx
+            sage: F[:]
+            [  0 -Ex -Ey -Ez]
+            [ Ex   0  Bz -By]
+            [ Ey -Bz   0  Bx]
+            [ Ez  By -Bx   0]
+            sage: sF = g.hodge_star(F) ; sF
+            2-form *F on the 4-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: sF[:]
+            [  0  Bx  By  Bz]
+            [-Bx   0  Ez -Ey]
+            [-By -Ez   0  Ex]
+            [-Bz  Ey -Ex   0]
+            sage: ssF = g.hodge_star(sF) ; ssF
+            2-form **F on the 4-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: ssF[:]
+            [  0  Ex  Ey  Ez]
+            [-Ex   0 -Bz  By]
+            [-Ey  Bz   0 -Bx]
+            [-Ez -By  Bx   0]
+            sage: ssF.display()
+            **F = Ex dt∧dx + Ey dt∧dy + Ez dt∧dz - Bz dx∧dy + By dx∧dz
+             - Bx dy∧dz
+            sage: F.display()
+            F = -Ex dt∧dx - Ey dt∧dy - Ez dt∧dz + Bz dx∧dy - By dx∧dz
+             + Bx dy∧dz
+            sage: ssF == -F  # must hold for a Lorentzian metric in dimension 4
+            True
+
+        Test of the standard identity
+
+        .. MATH::
+
+            *(A\wedge B) = \epsilon(A^\sharp, B^\sharp, ., .)
+
+        where `A` and `B` are any 1-forms and `A^\sharp` and `B^\sharp` the
+        vectors associated to them by the metric `g` (index raising)::
+
+            sage: var('Bt Bx By Bz')
+            (Bt, Bx, By, Bz)
+            sage: b = M.one_form(Bt, Bx, By, Bz, name='B')
+            sage: b.display()
+            B = Bt dt + Bx dx + By dy + Bz dz
+            sage: epsilon = g.volume_form()
+            sage: g.hodge_star(a.wedge(b)) == epsilon.contract(0,a.up(g)).contract(0,b.up(g))
+            True
+        """
+        return pform.hodge_dual(self)
+
+
+#******************************************************************************
+
+class PseudoRiemannianMetricParal(PseudoRiemannianMetric, TensorFieldParal):
+    r"""
+    Pseudo-Riemannian metric with values on a parallelizable manifold.
+
+    An instance of this class is a field of nondegenerate symmetric bilinear
+    forms (metric field) along a differentiable manifold `U` with values in a
+    parallelizable manifold `M` over `\RR`, via a differentiable mapping
+    `\Phi: U \rightarrow M`. The standard case of a metric field *on* a
+    manifold corresponds to `U=M` and `\Phi = \mathrm{Id}_M`. Other common
+    cases are `\Phi` being an immersion and `\Phi` being a curve in `M` (`U` is
+    then an open interval of `\RR`).
+
+    A *metric* `g` is a field on `U`, such that at each
+    point `p\in U`, `g(p)` is a bilinear map of the type:
+
+    .. MATH::
+
+        g(p):\ T_q M\times T_q M  \longrightarrow \RR
+
+    where `T_q M` stands for the tangent space to manifold `M` at the point
+    `q=\Phi(p)`, such that `g(p)` is symmetric:
+    `\forall (u,v)\in  T_q M\times T_q M, \ g(p)(v,u) = g(p)(u,v)`
+    and nondegenerate:
+    `(\forall v\in T_q M,\ \ g(p)(u,v) = 0) \Longrightarrow u=0`.
+
+    .. NOTE::
+
+        If `M` is not parallelizable, the class :class:`PseudoRiemannianMetric`
+        should be used instead.
+
+    INPUT:
+
+    - ``vector_field_module`` -- free module `\mathfrak{X}(U,\Phi)` of vector
+      fields along `U` with values on `\Phi(U)\subset M`
+    - ``name`` -- name given to the metric
+    - ``signature`` -- (default: ``None``) signature `S` of the metric as a
+      single integer: `S = n_+ - n_-`, where `n_+` (resp. `n_-`) is the number
+      of positive terms (resp. number of negative terms) in any diagonal
+      writing of the metric components; if ``signature`` is ``None``, `S` is
+      set to the dimension of manifold `M` (Riemannian signature)
+    - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the metric;
+      if ``None``, it is formed from ``name``
+
+    EXAMPLES:
+
+    Metric on a 2-dimensional manifold::
+
+        sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M', start_index=1)
+        sage: c_xy.<x,y> = M.chart()
+        sage: g = M.metric('g') ; g
+        Riemannian metric g on the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+        sage: latex(g)
+        g
+
+    A metric is a special kind of tensor field and therefore inheritates all the
+    properties from class
+    :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField`::
+
+        sage: g.parent()
+        Free module T^(0,2)(M) of type-(0,2) tensors fields on the
+         2-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+        sage: g.tensor_type()
+        (0, 2)
+        sage: g.symmetries()  # g is symmetric:
+        symmetry: (0, 1);  no antisymmetry
+
+    Setting the metric components in the manifold's default frame::
+
+        sage: g[1,1], g[1,2], g[2,2] = 1+x, x*y, 1-x
+        sage: g[:]
+        [ x + 1    x*y]
+        [   x*y -x + 1]
+        sage: g.display()
+        g = (x + 1) dx⊗dx + x*y dx⊗dy + x*y dy⊗dx + (-x + 1) dy⊗dy
+
+    Metric components in a frame different from the manifold's default one::
+
+        sage: c_uv.<u,v> = M.chart()  # new chart on M
+        sage: xy_to_uv = c_xy.transition_map(c_uv, [x+y, x-y]) ; xy_to_uv
+        Change of coordinates from Chart (M, (x, y)) to Chart (M, (u, v))
+        sage: uv_to_xy = xy_to_uv.inverse() ; uv_to_xy
+        Change of coordinates from Chart (M, (u, v)) to Chart (M, (x, y))
+        sage: M.atlas()
+        [Chart (M, (x, y)), Chart (M, (u, v))]
+        sage: M.frames()
+        [Coordinate frame (M, (∂/∂x,∂/∂y)), Coordinate frame (M, (∂/∂u,∂/∂v))]
+        sage: g[c_uv.frame(),:]  # metric components in frame c_uv.frame() expressed in M's default chart (x,y)
+        [ 1/2*x*y + 1/2          1/2*x]
+        [         1/2*x -1/2*x*y + 1/2]
+        sage: g.display(c_uv.frame())
+        g = (1/2*x*y + 1/2) du⊗du + 1/2*x du⊗dv + 1/2*x dv⊗du
+         + (-1/2*x*y + 1/2) dv⊗dv
+        sage: g[c_uv.frame(),:,c_uv]   # metric components in frame c_uv.frame() expressed in chart (u,v)
+        [ 1/8*u^2 - 1/8*v^2 + 1/2            1/4*u + 1/4*v]
+        [           1/4*u + 1/4*v -1/8*u^2 + 1/8*v^2 + 1/2]
+        sage: g.display(c_uv.frame(), c_uv)
+        g = (1/8*u^2 - 1/8*v^2 + 1/2) du⊗du + (1/4*u + 1/4*v) du⊗dv
+         + (1/4*u + 1/4*v) dv⊗du + (-1/8*u^2 + 1/8*v^2 + 1/2) dv⊗dv
+
+    As a shortcut of the above command, on can pass just the chart ``c_uv``
+    to ``display``, the vector frame being then assumed to be the coordinate
+    frame associated with the chart::
+
+        sage: g.display(c_uv)
+        g = (1/8*u^2 - 1/8*v^2 + 1/2) du⊗du + (1/4*u + 1/4*v) du⊗dv
+         + (1/4*u + 1/4*v) dv⊗du + (-1/8*u^2 + 1/8*v^2 + 1/2) dv⊗dv
+
+    The inverse metric is obtained via :meth:`inverse`::
+
+        sage: ig = g.inverse() ; ig
+        Tensor field inv_g of type (2,0) on the 2-dimensional differentiable
+         manifold M
+        sage: ig[:]
+        [ (x - 1)/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1)      x*y/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1)]
+        [     x*y/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1) -(x + 1)/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1)]
+        sage: ig.display()
+        inv_g = (x - 1)/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1) ∂/∂x⊗∂/∂x
+         + x*y/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1) ∂/∂x⊗∂/∂y + x*y/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1) ∂/∂y⊗∂/∂x
+         - (x + 1)/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1) ∂/∂y⊗∂/∂y
+    """
+    def __init__(self, vector_field_module, name, signature=None,
+                 latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Construct a metric on a parallelizable manifold.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M')
+            sage: X.<x,y> = M.chart()  # makes M parallelizable
+            sage: XM = M.vector_field_module()
+            sage: from sage.manifolds.differentiable.metric import \
+            ....:                                   PseudoRiemannianMetricParal
+            sage: g = PseudoRiemannianMetricParal(XM, 'g', signature=0); g
+            Lorentzian metric g on the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: g[0,0], g[1,1] = -(1+x^2), 1+y^2
+            sage: TestSuite(g).run(skip='_test_category')
+
+        .. TODO::
+
+            - add a specific parent to the metrics, to fit with the category
+              framework
+        """
+        TensorFieldParal.__init__(self, vector_field_module, (0,2),
+                                  name=name, latex_name=latex_name, sym=(0,1))
+        # signature:
+        ndim = self._ambient_domain.dimension()
+        if signature is None:
+            signature = ndim
+        else:
+            if not isinstance(signature, (int, Integer)):
+                raise TypeError("the metric signature must be an integer")
+            if (signature < - ndim) or (signature > ndim):
+                raise ValueError("metric signature out of range")
+            if (signature+ndim) % 2 == 1:
+                if ndim % 2 == 0:
+                    raise ValueError("the metric signature must be even")
+                else:
+                    raise ValueError("the metric signature must be odd")
+        self._signature = signature
+        # the pair (n_+, n_-):
+        self._signature_pm = ((ndim+signature)//2, (ndim-signature)//2)
+        self._indic_signat = 1 - 2*(self._signature_pm[1] % 2)  # (-1)^n_-
+        # Initialization of derived quantities:
+        PseudoRiemannianMetricParal._init_derived(self)
+
+    def _init_derived(self):
+        r"""
+        Initialize the derived quantities.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M')
+            sage: X.<x,y,z> = M.chart()  # makes M parallelizable
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g._init_derived()
+        """
+        # Initialization of quantities pertaining to the mother classes:
+        TensorFieldParal._init_derived(self)
+        PseudoRiemannianMetric._init_derived(self)
+
+    def _del_derived(self, del_restrictions=True):
+        r"""
+        Delete the derived quantities.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``del_restrictions`` -- boolean (default: ``True``); determines whether the
+          restrictions of ``self`` to subdomains are deleted
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M')
+            sage: X.<x,y,z> = M.chart()  # makes M parallelizable
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g._del_derived(del_restrictions=False)
+            sage: g._del_derived()
+        """
+        # The derived quantities from the mother classes are deleted:
+        TensorFieldParal._del_derived(self, del_restrictions=del_restrictions)
+        PseudoRiemannianMetric._del_derived(self)
+
+    def _del_inverse(self):
+        r"""
+        Delete the inverse metric.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M')
+            sage: X.<x,y,z> = M.chart()  # makes M parallelizable
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g._del_inverse()
+        """
+        self._inverse._components.clear()
+        self._inverse._del_derived()
+
+    def restrict(self, subdomain, dest_map=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the restriction of the metric to some subdomain.
+
+        If the restriction has not been defined yet, it is constructed here.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``subdomain`` -- open subset `U` of ``self._domain`` (must be an
+          instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.manifold.DifferentiableManifold`)
+        - ``dest_map`` -- (default: ``None``) destination map
+          `\Phi:\ U \rightarrow V`, where `V` is a subdomain of
+          ``self._codomain``
+          (type: :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.diff_map.DiffMap`)
+          If ``None``, the restriction of ``self._vmodule._dest_map`` to `U` is
+          used.
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - instance of :class:`PseudoRiemannianMetricParal` representing the
+          restriction.
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Restriction of a Lorentzian metric on `\RR^2` to the upper half plane::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M')
+            sage: X.<x,y> = M.chart()
+            sage: g = M.lorentzian_metric('g')
+            sage: g[0,0], g[1,1] = -1, 1
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U', coord_def={X: y>0})
+            sage: gU = g.restrict(U); gU
+            Lorentzian metric g on the Open subset U of the 2-dimensional
+             differentiable manifold M
+            sage: gU.signature()
+            0
+            sage: gU.display()
+            g = -dx⊗dx + dy⊗dy
+        """
+        if subdomain == self._domain:
+            return self
+        if subdomain not in self._restrictions:
+            # Construct the restriction at the tensor field level:
+            resu = TensorFieldParal.restrict(self, subdomain, dest_map=dest_map)
+            # the type is correctly handled by TensorFieldParal.restrict, i.e.
+            # resu is of type self.__class__, but the signature is not handled
+            # by TensorFieldParal.restrict; we have to set it here:
+            resu._signature = self._signature
+            resu._signature_pm = self._signature_pm
+            resu._indic_signat = self._indic_signat
+            # Restrictions of derived quantities:
+            resu._inverse = self.inverse().restrict(subdomain)
+            if self._connection is not None:
+                resu._connection = self._connection.restrict(subdomain)
+            if self._ricci_scalar is not None:
+                resu._ricci_scalar = self._ricci_scalar.restrict(subdomain)
+            if self._weyl is not None:
+                resu._weyl = self._weyl.restrict(subdomain)
+            if self._vol_forms != []:
+                for eps in self._vol_forms:
+                    resu._vol_forms.append(eps.restrict(subdomain))
+            # NB: no initialization of resu._determinants nor
+            # resu._sqrt_abs_dets
+            # The restriction is ready:
+            self._restrictions[subdomain] = resu
+        return self._restrictions[subdomain]
+
+    def set(self, symbiform):
+        r"""
+        Define the metric from a field of symmetric bilinear forms.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``symbiform`` -- instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield_paral.TensorFieldParal`
+          representing a field of symmetric bilinear forms
+
+        EXAMPLES::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M')
+            sage: X.<x,y> = M.chart()
+            sage: s = M.sym_bilin_form_field(name='s')
+            sage: s[0,0], s[0,1], s[1,1] = 1+x^2, x*y, 1+y^2
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g.set(s)
+            sage: g.display()
+            g = (x^2 + 1) dx⊗dx + x*y dx⊗dy + x*y dy⊗dx + (y^2 + 1) dy⊗dy
+        """
+        if not isinstance(symbiform, TensorFieldParal):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be a tensor field with " +
+                            "values on a parallelizable domain")
+        if symbiform._tensor_type != (0,2):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be of tensor type (0,2)")
+        if symbiform._sym != ((0,1),):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be symmetric")
+        if symbiform._vmodule is not self._vmodule:
+            raise TypeError("the symmetric bilinear form and the metric are " +
+                            "not defined on the same vector field module")
+        self._del_derived()
+        self._components.clear()
+        for frame in symbiform._components:
+            self._components[frame] = symbiform._components[frame].copy()
+        for dom, symbiform_rst in symbiform._restrictions.items():
+            rst = self.restrict(dom)
+            rst.set(symbiform_rst)
+
+    def inverse(self, expansion_symbol=None, order=1):
+        r"""
+        Return the inverse metric.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``expansion_symbol`` -- (default: ``None``) symbolic variable; if
+          specified, the inverse will be expanded in power series with respect
+          to this variable (around its zero value)
+        - ``order`` -- integer (default: 1); the order of the expansion
+          if ``expansion_symbol`` is not ``None``; the *order* is defined as
+          the degree of the polynomial representing the truncated power series
+          in ``expansion_symbol``; currently only first order inverse is
+          supported
+
+        If ``expansion_symbol`` is set, then the zeroth order metric must be
+        invertible. Moreover, subsequent calls to this method will return
+        a cached value, even when called with the default value (to enable
+        computation of derived quantities). To reset, use :meth:`_del_derived`.
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield_paral.TensorFieldParal`
+          with ``tensor_type`` = (2,0) representing the inverse metric
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Inverse metric on a 2-dimensional manifold::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M', start_index=1)
+            sage: c_xy.<x,y> = M.chart()
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[1,2], g[2,2] = 1+x, x*y, 1-x
+            sage: g[:]  # components in the manifold's default frame
+            [ x + 1    x*y]
+            [   x*y -x + 1]
+            sage: ig = g.inverse() ; ig
+            Tensor field inv_g of type (2,0) on the 2-dimensional
+              differentiable manifold M
+            sage: ig[:]
+            [ (x - 1)/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1)      x*y/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1)]
+            [     x*y/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1) -(x + 1)/(x^2*y^2 + x^2 - 1)]
+
+        If the metric is modified, the inverse metric is automatically updated::
+
+            sage: g[1,2] = 0 ; g[:]
+            [ x + 1      0]
+            [     0 -x + 1]
+            sage: g.inverse()[:]
+            [ 1/(x + 1)          0]
+            [         0 -1/(x - 1)]
+
+        Using SymPy as symbolic engine::
+
+            sage: M.set_calculus_method('sympy')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[1,2], g[2,2] = 1+x, x*y, 1-x
+            sage: g[:]  # components in the manifold's default frame
+            [x + 1   x*y]
+            [  x*y 1 - x]
+            sage: g.inverse()[:]
+            [ (x - 1)/(x**2*y**2 + x**2 - 1)      x*y/(x**2*y**2 + x**2 - 1)]
+            [     x*y/(x**2*y**2 + x**2 - 1) -(x + 1)/(x**2*y**2 + x**2 - 1)]
+
+        Demonstration of the series expansion capabilities::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(4, 'M', structure='Lorentzian')
+            sage: C.<t,x,y,z> = M.chart()
+            sage: e = var('e')
+            sage: g = M.metric()
+            sage: h = M.tensor_field(0, 2, sym=(0,1))
+            sage: g[0, 0], g[1, 1], g[2, 2], g[3, 3] = -1, 1, 1, 1
+            sage: h[0, 1], h[1, 2], h[2, 3] = 1, 1, 1
+            sage: g.set(g + e*h)
+
+        If ``e`` is a small parameter, ``g`` is a tridiagonal approximation of
+        the Minkowski metric::
+
+            sage: g[:]
+            [-1  e  0  0]
+            [ e  1  e  0]
+            [ 0  e  1  e]
+            [ 0  0  e  1]
+
+        The inverse, truncated to first order in ``e``, is::
+
+            sage: g.inverse(expansion_symbol=e)[:]
+            [-1  e  0  0]
+            [ e  1 -e  0]
+            [ 0 -e  1 -e]
+            [ 0  0 -e  1]
+
+        If ``inverse()`` is called subsequently, the result will be the same.
+        This allows for all computations to be made to first order::
+
+            sage: g.inverse()[:]
+            [-1  e  0  0]
+            [ e  1 -e  0]
+            [ 0 -e  1 -e]
+            [ 0  0 -e  1]
+        """
+        if expansion_symbol is not None:
+            if (self._inverse is not None and bool(self._inverse._components)
+                and self._inverse._components.values()[0][0,0]._expansion_symbol
+                    == expansion_symbol
+                and self._inverse._components.values()[0][0,0]._order == order):
+                return self._inverse
+
+            if order != 1:
+                raise NotImplementedError("only first order inverse is implemented")
+            decompo = self.series_expansion(expansion_symbol, order)
+            g0 = decompo[0]
+            g1 = decompo[1]
+
+            g0m = self._new_instance()   # needed because only metrics have
+            g0m.set_comp()[:] = g0[:]    # an "inverse" method.
+
+            contraction = g1.contract(0, g0m.inverse(), 0)
+            contraction = contraction.contract(1, g0m.inverse(), 1)
+            self._inverse = g0m.inverse() - expansion_symbol * contraction
+            self._inverse.set_calc_order(expansion_symbol, order)
+            return self._inverse
+
+        from sage.matrix.constructor import matrix
+        from sage.tensor.modules.comp import CompFullySym
+        # Is the inverse metric up to date ?
+        for frame in self._components:
+            if frame not in self._inverse._components:
+                # the computation is necessary
+                fmodule = self._fmodule
+                si = fmodule._sindex
+                nsi = fmodule._rank + si
+                dom = self._domain
+                cinv = CompFullySym(fmodule._ring, frame, 2, start_index=si,
+                                    output_formatter=fmodule._output_formatter)
+                cinv_scal = {}  # dict. of scalars representing the components
+                                # of the inverse (keys: comp. indices)
+                for i in range(si, nsi):
+                    for j in range(i, nsi):   # symmetry taken into account
+                        cinv_scal[(i,j)] = dom.scalar_field()
+                for chart in dom.top_charts():
+                    # TODO: do the computation without the 'SR' enforcement
+                    try:
+                        gmat = matrix(
+                                  [[self.comp(frame)[i, j, chart].expr(method='SR')
+                                  for j in range(si, nsi)] for i in range(si, nsi)])
+                        gmat_inv = gmat.inverse()
+                    except (KeyError, ValueError):
+                        continue
+                    for i in range(si, nsi):
+                        for j in range(i, nsi):
+                            val = chart.simplify(gmat_inv[i-si,j-si], method='SR')
+                            cinv_scal[(i,j)].add_expr(val, chart=chart)
+                for i in range(si, nsi):
+                    for j in range(i, nsi):
+                        cinv[i,j] = cinv_scal[(i,j)]
+                self._inverse._components[frame] = cinv
+        return self._inverse
+
+    def ricci_scalar(self, name=None, latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the metric's Ricci scalar.
+
+        The Ricci scalar is the scalar field `r` defined from the Ricci tensor
+        `Ric` and the metric tensor `g` by
+
+        .. MATH::
+
+            r = g^{ij} Ric_{ij}
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``name`` -- (default: ``None``) name given to the Ricci scalar;
+          if none, it is set to "r(g)", where "g" is the metric's name
+        - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the
+          Ricci scalar; if none, it is set to "\\mathrm{r}(g)", where "g"
+          is the metric's name
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - the Ricci scalar `r`, as an instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.scalarfield.DiffScalarField`
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Ricci scalar of the standard metric on the 2-sphere::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'S^2', start_index=1)
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') # the complement of a meridian (domain of spherical coordinates)
+            sage: c_spher.<th,ph> = U.chart(r'th:(0,pi):\theta ph:(0,2*pi):\phi')
+            sage: a = var('a') # the sphere radius
+            sage: g = U.metric('g')
+            sage: g[1,1], g[2,2] = a^2, a^2*sin(th)^2
+            sage: g.display() # standard metric on the 2-sphere of radius a:
+            g = a^2 dth⊗dth + a^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph
+            sage: g.ricci_scalar()
+            Scalar field r(g) on the Open subset U of the 2-dimensional
+             differentiable manifold S^2
+            sage: g.ricci_scalar().display() # The Ricci scalar is constant:
+            r(g): U → ℝ
+               (th, ph) ↦ 2/a^2
+
+        """
+        if self._ricci_scalar is None:
+            manif = self._ambient_domain
+            ric = self.ricci()
+            ig = self.inverse()
+            frame = ig.common_basis(ric)
+            cric = ric._components[frame]
+            cig = ig._components[frame]
+            rsum1 = 0
+            for i in manif.irange():
+                rsum1 += cig[[i,i]] * cric[[i,i]]
+            rsum2 = 0
+            for i in manif.irange():
+                for j in manif.irange(start=i+1):
+                    rsum2 += cig[[i,j]] * cric[[i,j]]
+            self._ricci_scalar = rsum1 + 2*rsum2
+            if name is None:
+                self._ricci_scalar._name = "r(" + self._name + ")"
+            else:
+                self._ricci_scalar._name = name
+            if latex_name is None:
+                self._ricci_scalar._latex_name = r"\mathrm{r}\left(" + \
+                                                 self._latex_name + r"\right)"
+            else:
+                self._ricci_scalar._latex_name = latex_name
+        return self._ricci_scalar
+
+
+#****************************************************************************************************
+
+
+class DegenerateMetric(TensorField):
+    r"""
+    Degenerate (or null or lightlike) metric with values on an open subset of a
+    differentiable manifold.
+
+    An instance of this class is a field of degenerate symmetric bilinear
+    forms (metric field) along a differentiable manifold `U` with
+    values on a differentiable manifold `M` over `\RR`, via a differentiable
+    mapping `\Phi: U \rightarrow M`.
+    The standard case of a degenerate metric field *on* a manifold corresponds to `U=M`
+    and `\Phi = \mathrm{Id}_M`. Other common cases are `\Phi` being an
+    immersion and `\Phi` being a curve in `M` (`U` is then an open interval
+    of `\RR`).
+
+    A *degenerate metric* `g` is a field on `U`, such that at each point `p\in U`, `g(p)`
+    is a bilinear map of the type:
+
+    .. MATH::
+
+        g(p):\ T_q M\times T_q M  \longrightarrow \RR
+
+    where `T_q M` stands for the tangent space to the
+    manifold `M` at the point `q=\Phi(p)`, such that `g(p)` is symmetric:
+    `\forall (u,v)\in  T_q M\times T_q M, \ g(p)(v,u) = g(p)(u,v)`
+    and degenerate:
+    `\exists v\in T_q M;\ \ g(p)(u,v) = 0\ \ \forall u\in T_qM`.
+
+    .. NOTE::
+
+        If `M` is parallelizable, the class :class:`DegenerateMetricParal`
+        should be used instead.
+
+    INPUT:
+
+    - ``vector_field_module`` -- module `\mathfrak{X}(U,\Phi)` of vector
+      fields along `U` with values on `\Phi(U)\subset M`
+    - ``name`` -- name given to the metric
+    - ``signature`` -- (default: ``None``) signature `S` of the metric as a
+      tuple: `S = (n_+, n_-, n_0)`, where `n_+` (resp. `n_-`, resp. `n_0`) is the
+      number of positive terms (resp. negative terms, resp. zero tems) in any
+      diagonal writing of the metric components; if ``signature`` is not
+      provided, `S` is set to `(ndim-1, 0, 1)`, being `ndim` the manifold's dimension
+    - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the metric;
+      if ``None``, it is formed from ``name``
+
+    EXAMPLES:
+
+    Lightlike cone::
+
+        sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M'); X.<x,y,z> = M.chart()
+        sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=(2,0,1)); g
+        degenerate metric g on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+        sage: det(g)
+        Scalar field zero on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+        sage: g.parent()
+        Free module T^(0,2)(M) of type-(0,2) tensors fields on the
+        3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+        sage: g[0,0], g[0,1], g[0,2] = (y^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), \
+        ....: - x*y/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), - x*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2)
+        sage: g[1,1], g[1,2], g[2,2] = (x^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), \
+        ....: - y*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), (x^2 + y^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2)
+        sage: g.disp()
+        g = (y^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dx⊗dx - x*y/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dx⊗dy
+        - x*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dx⊗dz - x*y/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dy⊗dx
+        + (x^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dy⊗dy - y*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dy⊗dz
+        - x*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dz⊗dx - y*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dz⊗dy
+        + (x^2 + y^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dz⊗dz
+
+    The position vector is a lightlike vector field::
+
+        sage: v = M.vector_field()
+        sage: v[0], v[1], v[2] = x , y, z
+        sage: g(v, v).disp()
+        M → ℝ
+        (x, y, z) ↦ 0
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, vector_field_module, name, signature=None,
+                 latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Construct a metric.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(4, 'M', structure='Lorentzian')
+            sage: var('m'); assume(m>0)
+            m
+            sage: Int = M.open_subset('Int')
+            sage: X.<t,r,th,ph>=Int.chart(r"t r:(0,2*m) th:(0,pi):\theta ph:(0,2*pi):\phi")
+            sage: XM = M.vector_field_module(); e = X.frame()
+            sage: from sage.manifolds.differentiable.metric import \
+            ....:                                        DegenerateMetric
+            sage: g = DegenerateMetric(XM, 'g', signature=(2,1,1)); g
+            degenerate metric g on the 4-dimensional Lorentzian manifold M
+            sage: g[e, 0,0], g[e, 0,1], g[e, 1,1], g[e, 2,2], \
+            ....: g[e, 3,3] = -1+2*m/r, 2*m/r, 1+2*m/r, r^2, r^2*sin(th)^2
+            sage: g.disp(e)
+            g = (2*m/r - 1) dt⊗dt + 2*m/r dt⊗dr + 2*m/r dr⊗dt + (2*m/r + 1) dr⊗dr
+            + r^2 dth⊗dth + r^2*sin(th)^2 dph⊗dph
+        """
+        TensorField.__init__(self, vector_field_module, (0,2),
+                             name=name, latex_name=latex_name, sym=(0,1))
+        # signature:
+        ndim = self._ambient_domain.dimension()
+        if signature is None:
+            signature = (ndim-1,0,1)
+        else:
+            try:
+                for elt in signature:
+                    if (elt < 0) or (not isinstance(elt, (int, Integer))):
+                        raise ValueError("{} must be a positive integer".format(elt))
+                    if elt > ndim:
+                        raise ValueError("{} must be less than {}".format(elt,ndim))
+                    sign = signature[0]+signature[1]+signature[2]
+                    if sign != ndim:
+                        raise ValueError("{} is different from {}".format(sign, ndim))
+            except TypeError:
+                raise TypeError("signature must be an iterable")
+        self._signature = (signature[0],signature[1],signature[2])
+        # the tuple (n_+, n_-, n_0):
+        self._signature_pm = self._signature
+
+    def _repr_(self):
+        r"""
+        String representation of the object.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=(1,1,1))
+            sage: g._repr_()
+            'degenerate metric g on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M'
+        """
+        return self._final_repr("degenerate metric "+self._name + " ")
+
+    def _new_instance(self):
+        r"""
+        Create an instance of the same class as ``self`` with the same
+        signature.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=(1,1,1))
+            sage: g1 = g._new_instance(); g1
+            degenerate metric unnamed metric on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: type(g1) == type(g)
+            True
+            sage: g1.parent() is g.parent()
+            True
+            sage: g1.signature() == g.signature()
+            True
+        """
+        return type(self)(self._vmodule, 'unnamed metric',
+                          signature=self._signature,
+                          latex_name=r'\text{unnamed metric}')
+
+    def signature(self):
+        r"""
+        Signature of the metric.
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - signature of a degenerate metric is defined as the tuple
+          `(n_+,n_-,n_0)`, where `n_+` (resp. `n_-`, resp. `n_0`) is the number of
+          positive terms (resp. negative terms, resp. zero terms) eigenvalues
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Signatures on a 3-dimensional manifold::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=(1,1,1))
+            sage: g.signature()
+            (1, 1, 1)
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M', structure='degenerate_metric')
+            sage: g = M.metric()
+            sage: g.signature()
+            (0, 2, 1)
+        """
+        return self._signature
+
+    def set(self, symbiform):
+        r"""
+        Define the metric from a field of symmetric bilinear forms.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``symbiform`` -- instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField`
+          representing a field of symmetric bilinear forms
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Metric defined from a field of symmetric bilinear forms on a
+        non-parallelizable 2-dimensional manifold::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(2, 'M')
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U') ; V = M.open_subset('V')
+            sage: M.declare_union(U,V)   # M is the union of U and V
+            sage: c_xy.<x,y> = U.chart() ; c_uv.<u,v> = V.chart()
+            sage: xy_to_uv = c_xy.transition_map(c_uv, (x+y, x-y), intersection_name='W',
+            ....:                              restrictions1= x>0, restrictions2= u+v>0)
+            sage: uv_to_xy = xy_to_uv.inverse()
+            sage: W = U.intersection(V)
+            sage: eU = c_xy.frame() ; eV = c_uv.frame()
+            sage: h = M.sym_bilin_form_field(name='h')
+            sage: h[eU,0,0], h[eU,0,1], h[eU,1,1] = 1+x, x*y, 1-y
+            sage: h.add_comp_by_continuation(eV, W, c_uv)
+            sage: h.display(eU)
+            h = (x + 1) dx⊗dx + x*y dx⊗dy + x*y dy⊗dx + (-y + 1) dy⊗dy
+            sage: h.display(eV)
+            h = (1/8*u^2 - 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2) du⊗du + 1/4*u du⊗dv
+             + 1/4*u dv⊗du + (-1/8*u^2 + 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2) dv⊗dv
+            sage: g = M.metric('g')
+            sage: g.set(h)
+            sage: g.display(eU)
+            g = (x + 1) dx⊗dx + x*y dx⊗dy + x*y dy⊗dx + (-y + 1) dy⊗dy
+            sage: g.display(eV)
+            g = (1/8*u^2 - 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2) du⊗du + 1/4*u du⊗dv
+             + 1/4*u dv⊗du + (-1/8*u^2 + 1/8*v^2 + 1/4*v + 1/2) dv⊗dv
+        """
+        if not isinstance(symbiform, TensorField):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be a tensor field")
+        if symbiform._tensor_type != (0,2):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be of tensor type (0,2)")
+        if symbiform._sym != ((0,1),):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be symmetric")
+        if not symbiform._domain.is_subset(self._domain):
+            raise TypeError("the symmetric bilinear form is not defined " +
+                            "on the metric domain")
+        self._restrictions.clear()
+        if isinstance(symbiform, TensorFieldParal):
+            rst = self.restrict(symbiform._domain)
+            rst.set(symbiform)
+        else:
+            for dom, symbiform_rst in symbiform._restrictions.items():
+                rst = self.restrict(dom)
+                rst.set(symbiform_rst)
+
+    def restrict(self, subdomain, dest_map=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the restriction of the metric to some subdomain.
+
+        If the restriction has not been defined yet, it is constructed here.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``subdomain`` -- open subset `U` of the metric's domain (must be an
+          instance of :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.manifold.DifferentiableManifold`)
+        - ``dest_map`` -- (default: ``None``) destination map
+          `\Phi:\ U \rightarrow V`, where `V` is a subdomain of
+          ``self._codomain``
+          (type: :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.diff_map.DiffMap`)
+          If ``None``, the restriction of ``self._vmodule._dest_map`` to `U` is
+          used.
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - instance of :class:`DegenerateMetric` representing the
+          restriction.
+
+        EXAMPLES::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(5, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=(3,1,1))
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U')
+            sage: g.restrict(U)
+            degenerate metric g on the Open subset U of the 5-dimensional
+            differentiable manifold M
+            sage: g.restrict(U).signature()
+            (3, 1, 1)
+
+        See the top documentation of :class:`DegenerateMetric` for more
+        examples.
+        """
+        if subdomain == self._domain:
+            return self
+        if subdomain not in self._restrictions:
+            # Construct the restriction at the tensor field level:
+            resu = TensorField.restrict(self, subdomain, dest_map=dest_map)
+            # the type is correctly handled by TensorField.restrict, i.e.
+            # resu is of type self.__class__, but the signature is not handled
+            # by TensorField.restrict; we have to set it here:
+            resu._signature = self._signature
+            resu._signature_pm = self._signature_pm
+            self._restrictions[subdomain] = resu
+        return self._restrictions[subdomain]
+
+    def determinant(self):
+        r"""
+        Determinant of a degenerate metric is always '0'.
+
+        EXAMPLES::
+
+            sage: S = Manifold(2, 'S')
+            sage: g = S.metric('g', signature=([0,1,1]))
+            sage: g.determinant()
+            Scalar field zero on the 2-dimensional differentiable manifold S
+        """
+        return self._domain.zero_scalar_field()
+
+    det = determinant
+
+#****************************************************************************************
+
+
+class DegenerateMetricParal(DegenerateMetric, TensorFieldParal):
+    r"""
+    Degenerate (or null or lightlike) metric with values on an open subset of a
+    differentiable manifold.
+
+    An instance of this class is a field of degenerate symmetric bilinear
+    forms (metric field) along a differentiable manifold `U` with
+    values on a differentiable manifold `M` over `\RR`, via a differentiable
+    mapping `\Phi: U \rightarrow M`.
+    The standard case of a degenerate metric field *on* a manifold corresponds
+    to `U=M` and `\Phi = \mathrm{Id}_M`. Other common cases are `\Phi` being an
+    immersion and `\Phi` being a curve in `M` (`U` is then an open interval
+    of `\RR`).
+
+    A *degenerate metric* `g` is a field on `U`, such that at each point
+    `p\in U`, `g(p)` is a bilinear map of the type:
+
+    .. MATH::
+
+        g(p):\ T_q M\times T_q M  \longrightarrow \RR
+
+    where `T_q M` stands for the tangent space to the
+    manifold `M` at the point `q=\Phi(p)`, such that `g(p)` is symmetric:
+    `\forall (u,v)\in  T_q M\times T_q M, \ g(p)(v,u) = g(p)(u,v)`
+    and degenerate:
+    `\exists v\in T_q M;\ \ g(p)(u,v) = 0\ \ \forall u\in T_qM`.
+
+    .. NOTE::
+
+        If `M` is not parallelizable, the class :class:`DegenerateMetric`
+        should be used instead.
+
+    INPUT:
+
+    - ``vector_field_module`` -- module `\mathfrak{X}(U,\Phi)` of vector
+      fields along `U` with values on `\Phi(U)\subset M`
+    - ``name`` -- name given to the metric
+    - ``signature`` -- (default: ``None``) signature `S` of the metric as a
+      tuple: `S = (n_+, n_-, n_0)`, where `n_+` (resp. `n_-`, resp. `n_0`) is the
+      number of positive terms (resp. negative terms, resp. zero tems) in any
+      diagonal writing of the metric components; if ``signature`` is not
+      provided, `S` is set to `(ndim-1, 0, 1)`, being `ndim` the manifold's dimension
+    - ``latex_name`` -- (default: ``None``) LaTeX symbol to denote the metric;
+      if ``None``, it is formed from ``name``
+
+    EXAMPLES:
+
+    Lightlike cone::
+
+        sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M'); X.<x,y,z> = M.chart()
+        sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=(2,0,1)); g
+        degenerate metric g on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+        sage: det(g)
+        Scalar field zero on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+        sage: g.parent()
+        Free module T^(0,2)(M) of type-(0,2) tensors fields on the
+        3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+        sage: g[0,0], g[0,1], g[0,2] = (y^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), \
+        ....: - x*y/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), - x*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2)
+        sage: g[1,1], g[1,2], g[2,2] = (x^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), \
+        ....: - y*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), (x^2 + y^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2)
+        sage: g.disp()
+        g = (y^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dx⊗dx - x*y/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dx⊗dy
+        - x*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dx⊗dz - x*y/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dy⊗dx
+        + (x^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dy⊗dy - y*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dy⊗dz
+        - x*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dz⊗dx - y*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dz⊗dy
+        + (x^2 + y^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dz⊗dz
+
+    The position vector is a lightlike vector field::
+
+        sage: v = M.vector_field()
+        sage: v[0], v[1], v[2] = x , y, z
+        sage: g(v, v).disp()
+        M → ℝ
+        (x, y, z) ↦ 0
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, vector_field_module, name, signature=None,
+                 latex_name=None):
+        r"""
+        Construct a metric.
+
+        TESTS::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M'); X.<x,y,z> = M.chart()
+            sage: XM = M.vector_field_module()
+            sage: from sage.manifolds.differentiable.metric import \
+            ....:                                        DegenerateMetricParal
+            sage: g = DegenerateMetricParal(XM, 'g', signature=(2,0,1)); g
+            degenerate metric g on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: g[0,0], g[0,1], g[0,2] = (y^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), \
+            ....: - x*y/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), - x*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2)
+            sage: g[1,1], g[1,2], g[2,2] = (x^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), \
+            ....: - y*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2), (x^2 + y^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2)
+            sage: g.disp()
+            g = (y^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dx⊗dx - x*y/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dx⊗dy
+            - x*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dx⊗dz - x*y/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dy⊗dx
+            + (x^2 + z^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dy⊗dy - y*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dy⊗dz
+            - x*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dz⊗dx - y*z/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dz⊗dy
+            + (x^2 + y^2)/(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dz⊗dz
+        """
+        TensorFieldParal.__init__(self, vector_field_module, (0,2),
+                             name=name, latex_name=latex_name, sym=(0,1))
+        # signature:
+        ndim = self._ambient_domain.dimension()
+        if signature is None:
+            signature = (ndim-1,0,1)
+        else:
+            try:
+                for elt in signature:
+                    if (elt < 0) or (not isinstance(elt, (int, Integer))):
+                        raise ValueError("{} must be a positive integer".format(elt))
+                    sign = signature[0]+signature[1]+signature[2]
+                    if sign != ndim:
+                        raise ValueError("{} is different from {}".format(sign, ndim))
+            except TypeError:
+                raise TypeError("signature must be an iterable")
+        self._signature = (signature[0],signature[1],signature[2])
+        # the tuple (n_+, n_-, n_0):
+        self._signature_pm = self._signature
+
+    def set(self, symbiform):
+        r"""
+        Define the metric from a field of symmetric bilinear forms.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``symbiform`` -- instance of
+          :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.tensorfield.TensorField`
+          representing a field of symmetric bilinear forms
+
+        EXAMPLES:
+
+        Metric defined from a field of symmetric bilinear forms on a
+        parallelizable 3-dimensional manifold::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(3, 'M', start_index=1);
+            sage: X.<x,y,z> = M.chart()
+            sage: dx, dy = X.coframe()[1], X.coframe()[2]
+            sage: b = dx*dx + dy*dy
+            sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=(1,1,1)); g
+            degenerate metric g on the 3-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: g.set(b)
+            sage: g.display()
+            g = dx⊗dx + dy⊗dy
+        """
+        if not isinstance(symbiform, TensorFieldParal):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be a tensor field with " +
+                            "values on a parallelizable domain")
+        if symbiform._tensor_type != (0,2):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be of tensor type (0,2)")
+        if symbiform._sym != ((0,1),):
+            raise TypeError("the argument must be symmetric")
+        if symbiform._vmodule is not self._vmodule:
+            raise TypeError("the symmetric bilinear form and the metric are " +
+                            "not defined on the same vector field module")
+        self._components.clear()
+        for frame in symbiform._components:
+            self._components[frame] = symbiform._components[frame].copy()
+        for dom, symbiform_rst in symbiform._restrictions.items():
+            rst = self.restrict(dom)
+            rst.set(symbiform_rst)
+
+    def restrict(self, subdomain, dest_map=None):
+        r"""
+        Return the restriction of the metric to some subdomain.
+
+        If the restriction has not been defined yet, it is constructed here.
+
+        INPUT:
+
+        - ``subdomain`` -- open subset `U` of the metric's domain (must be an
+          instance of :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.manifold.DifferentiableManifold`)
+        - ``dest_map`` -- (default: ``None``) destination map
+          `\Phi:\ U \rightarrow V`, where `V` is a subdomain of
+          ``self._codomain``
+          (type: :class:`~sage.manifolds.differentiable.diff_map.DiffMap`)
+          If ``None``, the restriction of ``self._vmodule._dest_map`` to `U` is
+          used.
+
+        OUTPUT:
+
+        - instance of :class:`DegenerateMetric` representing the
+          restriction.
+
+        EXAMPLES::
+
+            sage: M = Manifold(5, 'M')
+            sage: g = M.metric('g', signature=(3,1,1))
+            sage: U = M.open_subset('U')
+            sage: g.restrict(U)
+            degenerate metric g on the Open subset U of the 5-dimensional differentiable manifold M
+            sage: g.restrict(U).signature()
+            (3, 1, 1)
+
+        See the top documentation of :class:`DegenerateMetric` for more
+        examples.
+        """
+        if subdomain == self._domain:
+            return self
+        if subdomain not in self._restrictions:
+            # Construct the restriction at the tensor field level:
+            resu = TensorFieldParal.restrict(self, subdomain, dest_map=dest_map)
+            # the type is correctly handled by TensorField.restrict, i.e.
+            # resu is of type self.__class__, but the signature is not handled
+            # by TensorField.restrict; we have to set it here:
+            resu._signature = self._signature
+            resu._signature_pm = self._signature_pm
+            self._restrictions[subdomain] = resu
+        return self._restrictions[subdomain]
+
+#****************************************************************************************