Geometric Structures on Graphs: a Holonomy-Based Discretization of Curvature

We propose a holonomy-based framework for discretizing curvature on graphs equipped with local symmetric positive-definite metrics. Each vertex carries a fibre metric $g_i$, and each directed edge carries a reversible metric-compatible transport $F_{ij}$. The ordered product around an oriented triangular loop $\mathcal{C}$ gives a holonomy $H_{\mathcal{C}}$, whose normalized logarithm ${\mathrm{\Omega }}_{\mathcal{C}}=-s_{\mathcal{C}}^{-1}\mathrm{Log}(H_{\mathcal{C}})$ is used as a finite-loop curvature observation. Thus the construction discretizes the geometric principle that infinitesimal holonomy is controlled by curvature, rather than treating holonomy as a heuristic feature. Since ${\mathrm{\Omega }}_{\mathcal{C}}$ lies in the $g_i$-orthogonal Lie algebra, it is not itself a velocity of an SPD metric. We therefore introduce two aggregation mechanisms: a commutator with a symmetric response matrix, producing symmetric Ricci-type metric responses, and an incidence-aware covariant divergence of curvature-induced edge fluxes, reflecting the relation between trace and covariant divergence. The resulting responses are locally orthogonal-gauge equivariant and can drive exponential updates that preserve positive definiteness. We also give a reversible metric-compatible parametrization of edge transports, allowing orthogonal edge factors, loop scales, weights, and response matrices to be learned while respecting the graph geometry. Known-geometry calibrations on the unit sphere test the holonomy–curvature relation, curvature preservation under nontrivial local metric representations, and the empirical recovery of edge transports from local observations.