Math 2.0

Algebraic topology Definition

Fiber bundle

Builds on Topological spaceContinuous functionHomeomorphism

Definition

Let EE, BB and FF be topological spaces, and let π ⁣:E→B\pi \colon E \to B be a continuous surjection. The quadruple (E,B,π,F)(E, B, \pi, F) is a fiber bundle if the following holds. Every point b∈Bb \in B has an open neighbourhood UU and a homeomorphism φ ⁣:π−1(U)→U×F\varphi \colon \pi^{-1}(U) \to U \times F such that pr⁡1∘φ=π\operatorname{pr}_1 \circ \varphi = \pi on π−1(U)\pi^{-1}(U), where pr⁡1 ⁣:U×F→U\operatorname{pr}_1 \colon U \times F \to U is the first projection. Such a pair (U,φ)(U, \varphi) is a local trivialization. The spaces EE, BB and FF are the total space, the base and the fiber, and π\pi is the projection.

Remarks

For any spaces BB and FF, the product B×FB \times F with π=pr⁡1\pi = \operatorname{pr}_1 is a fiber bundle, the trivial bundle; one trivialization over U=BU = B suffices. The Möbius band is a fiber bundle over the circle with fiber [0,1][0, 1] that is not trivial.

Non-example: let E={(x,y)∈ℝ2:xy=0}E = \set{(x, y) \in \R^2 : xy = 0} and π(x,y)=x\pi(x, y) = x, so π ⁣:E→ℝ\pi \colon E \to \R. The preimage of 00 is a line, while the preimage of each x≠0x \neq 0 is a single point. A local trivialization around 00 would make all preimages near 00 homeomorphic to the same FF, which is impossible.

Each fiber π−1(b)\pi^{-1}(b) is homeomorphic to FF. A smooth fiber bundle uses smooth manifolds, a smooth submersion π\pi and diffeomorphisms φ\varphi. The notation F→E→BF \to E \to B is common.

Reading path

To understand this page from the ground up, read these 4 pages in order. The foundations come first.

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  1. Continuous function concept
  2. Homeomorphism concept
  3. Topological space concept
  4. Fiber bundle definition

Further reading

  1. Web https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiber_bundle
About this page
Tag4RK8T21D27
URIm2://4RK8T21D27
Kinddefinition
WritingW0 stub
MSC55R10
DefinesFiber bundle
UsesTopological space, Continuous function, Homeomorphism
Changed2 November 2026

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