Definition:Atlas

Definition
Let $M$ be a locally Euclidean space.

Then an atlas of class $C^k$ and dimension $d$ on $M$ is a set of charts $\mathscr F = \left\{{\left({U_\alpha, \phi_\alpha}\right): \alpha \in A}\right\}$ indexed by some set $A$ such that:


 * $(1): \quad \displaystyle \bigcup_{\alpha \mathop \in A} U_\alpha = M$


 * $(2): \quad \phi_\alpha \circ \phi_\beta^{-1}$ is of class $C^k$ as a map $\phi_\beta \left({U_\alpha \cap U_\beta}\right) \to \phi_\alpha \left({U_\alpha \cap U_\beta}\right)$ for all $\alpha, \beta \in A$

Also known as
Some sources refer to an atlas as a pre-differentiable structure.

Also see

 * Definition:Topological Manifold
 * Definition:Compatible Atlases