Riemann-Christoffel tensor

Riemann-Christoffel tensor

[′rē‚män ′kris·tə·fəl ‚ten·sər] (mathematics) The basic tensor used for the study of curvature of a Riemann space; it is a fourth-rank tensor, formed from Christoffel symbols and their derivatives, and its vanishing is a necessary condition for the space to be flat. Also known as curvature tensor.