ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Kodaira–Spencer map

The Kodaira-Spencer map is a way of understanding how things change on a bumpy surface. Imagine you are walking on a wiggly path in the forest, but someone told you to keep track of how much the path is bending and turning as you go along. You might feel like it's hard to keep track of all those twists and turns while you're still walking.

The Kodaira-Spencer map helps us keep better track of these twists and turns by mathematically measuring how much the path is bending at each point. It's like using a special tool to help you see the bumps and curves more clearly.

In math terms, the Kodaira-Spencer map involves taking a surface, which has a bunch of bumps and curves, and measuring how much it is changing at each point. This map helps us study how the surface is changing and how this affects other mathematical objects that depend on it.

Overall, the Kodaira-Spencer map is a tool that helps us see and understand the bumps and curves of surfaces in math, allowing us to study the changes that happen in different situations.