We obtain some results in both Lorentz and Finsler geometries, by using a correspondence between the conformal structure (Causality) of standard stationary spacetimes on $M=\R\times S$ and Randers metrics on $S$. In particular, for stationary spacetimes, we give a simple characterization of when they are causally continuous or globally hyperbolic (including in the latter case, when $S$ is a Cauchy hypersurface), in terms of an associated Randers metric. Consequences for the computability of Cauchy developments are also derived. Causality suggests that the role of completeness in many results of Riemannian Geometry (geodesic connectedness by minimizing geodesics, Bonnet-Myers, Synge theorems) is played, in Finslerian Geometry, by the compactness of symmetrized closed balls. Moreover, under this condition we show that for any Randers metric there exists another Randers metric with the same pregeodesics and geodesically complete. Even more, results on the differentiability of Cauchy horizons in spacetimes yield consequences for the differentiability of the Randers distance to a subset, and vice versa.
In this paper, we consider a Finsler space with a Randers change of Quartic metric F = $\sqrt[4]{α^4 + β^4} + β$. The conditions for this space to be with reversible geodesics are obtained. Further, we study some geometrical properties of F with reversible geodesics and prove that the Finsler metric F induces a generalized weighted quasi-distance $d_F$ on M.
In this paper, we consider Randers change of some special $ (α, β)- $ metrics. First we find the fundamental metric tensor and Cartan tensor of these Randers changed $ (α, β)- $metrics. Next, we establish a general formula for inverse of fundamental metric tensors of these metrics. Finally, we find the necessary and sufficient conditions under which the Randers change of these $ (α, β)- $ metrics are projectively and locally dually flat.
We consider a triality between the Zermelo navigation problem, the geodesic flow on a Finslerian geometry of Randers type, and spacetimes in one dimension higher admitting a timelike conformal Killing vector field. From the latter viewpoint, the data of the Zermelo problem are encoded in a (conformally) Painleve-Gullstrand form of the spacetime metric, whereas the data of the Randers problem are encoded in a stationary generalisation of the usual optical metric. We discuss how the spacetime viewpoint gives a simple and physical perspective on various issues, including how Finsler geometries wi…
By a Randers' structure on a manifold $M$ we mean a Finsler structure $L^*=L+α$, where $L$ is a Riemannian structure and $α$ is a 1-form on $M$. This structure was first introduced by Randers ~\cite{[8]} from the standpoint of general relativity. In this paper, we replace $L$ by a Finsler structure, calling the resulting manifold a generalized Randers manifold. On one hand, we develop in some depth generalized Randers manifolds. On the other hand, we apply the results obtained in a foregoing paper ~\cite{[12]} to generalized Randers manifolds to obtain some new results in that domain. Among ma…
If a non-reversible Finsler norm is the sum of a reversible Finsler norm and a closed 1-form, then one can uniquely recover the 1-form up to potential fields from the boundary distance data. We also show a boundary rigidity result for Randers metrics where the reversible Finsler norm is induced by a Riemannian metric which is boundary rigid. Our theorems generalize Riemannian boundary rigidity results to some non-reversible Finsler manifolds. We provide an application to seismology where the seismic wave propagates in a moving medium.
In some recent papers, the relations existing between the metric properties of Randers spaces and the conformal geometry of stationary Lorentzian manifolds were discovered and investigated. In this note, we focus on the equality between the index of a geodesic in a Randers space and that of its lightlike lift in the associated conformal stationary spacetime. Moreover we make some remarks about regularity of the energy functional of a Finsler metric on the infinite dimensional manifold of $H^1$ curves between two points, in connection with infinite dimensional techniques in Morse Theory.
One of the most important problems in Finsler geometry is to classify Finsler metrics of scalar flag curvature. In this paper, we study the classification problem of Randers metrics of scalar flag curvature. Under the condition that $β$ is a Killing 1-form, we obtain some important necessary conditions for Randers metrics to be of scalar flag curvature.
In the year 1984 Shibata investigated the theory of a change which is called a $ β$-change of a Finsler metric. On the other hand in 1985 a systematic study of geometry of hypersurfaces in Finsler spaces was given by Matsumoto. In the present paper is to devoted to the study of a condition for a Randers conformal change to be projective and find out when a totally geodesic hypersurface $ F^{n-1} $ remains to be a totally geodesic hypersurface $ F^{n-1} $ under the projective Randers conformal change. Further obatined the condition under which a Finslerian hypersurfaces given by the projective …
In this paper we argue that when gauge invariance is taken into consideration, there is no consistent geometric framework of Finsler class that can accommodate Randers type spaces. In this context, an alternative non-Finslerian framework for Randers spacetimes compatible with gauge invariance is introduced.
We prove that a homogeneous Finsler sphere with constant flag curvature $K\equiv1$ and a prime closed geodesic of length $2π$ must be Riemannian. This observation provides the evidence for the non-existence of homogeneous Bryant spheres. It also helps us propose an alternative approach proving that a geodesic orbit Finsler sphere with $K\equiv1$ must be Randers. Then we discuss the behavior of geodesics on a homogeneous Finsler sphere with $K\equiv1$. We prove that many geodesic properties for homogeneous Randers spheres with $K\equiv1$ can be generalized to the non-Randers case.
A linear connection on a Finsler manifold is called compatible to the metric if its parallel transports preserve the Finslerian length of tangent vectors. Generalized Berwald manifolds are Finsler manifolds equipped with a compatible linear connection. Since the compatibility to the Finslerian metric does not imply the unicity of the linear connection in general, the first step of checking the existence of compatible linear connections on a Finsler manifold is to choose the best one to look for. A reasonable choice is introduced in \cite{V14} called the extremal compatible linear connection, w…
A Clifford-Wolf translation of a connected Finsler space is an isometry which moves each point the same distance. A Finsler space $(M, F)$ is called Clifford-Wolf homogeneous if for any two points $x_1, x_2\in M$ there is a Clifford-Wolf translation $ρ$ such that $ρ(x_1)=x_2$. In this paper, we give a complete classification of connected simply connected Clifford-Wolf homogeneous Randers spaces.
In this paper, we investigate the holonomy structure of the most accessible and demonstrative 2-dimensional Finsler surfaces, the Randers surfaces. Randers metrics can be considered as the solutions of the Zermelo navigation problem. We give the classification of the holonomy groups of locally projectively flat Randers two-manifolds of constant curvature. In particular, we prove that the holonomy group of a simply connected non-Riemannian projectively flat Finsler two-manifold of constant non-zero flag curvature is maximal and isomorphic to the orientation preserving diffeomorphism group of th…
In this paper, we study the relationship between isoparametric hypersurfaces and hypersurfaces with constant principal curvatures in Finsler spaces. We give some examples of isoparametric hypersurfaces with (non)constant principal curvatures on Randers manifolds with nonconstant flag curvatures. Furthermore, we construct an example of a conformally flat Randers manifold which admits a family of nonisoparametric hyperplanes with constant principal curvatures.
A Clifford-Wolf translation of a connected Finsler space is an isometry which moves each point the sam distance. A Finsler space $(M, F)$ is called Clifford-Wolf homogeneous if for any two point $x_1, x_2\in M$ there is a Clifford-Wolf translation $ρ$ such that $ρ(x_1)=x_2$. In this paper, we study Clifford-Wolf translations of left invariant Randers metrics on compact Lie groups. The mian result is that a left invariant Randers metric on a connected compact simple Lie group is Clifford-Wolf homogeneous if and only if the indicatrix of the metric is a round sphere with respect to a bi-invarian…
In complex Finsler geometry, an open problem is: does there exist a weakly Kähler Finsler metric which is not Kähler? In this paper, we give an affirmative answer to this open problem. More precisely, we construct a family of the weakly Kähler Finsler metrics which are non-Kähler. The examples belong to the unitary invariant complex Randers metrics. Furthermore, a uniformization theorem of the unitary invariant complex Randers metrics with constant holomorphic curvature is proved under the weakly Kähler condition.
In this paper, I will show how to use beta-deformations to deal with dual flatness of Randers metrics. beta-deformations is a new method in Riemann-Finsler geometry, it is introduced by the author(see arxiv:1209.0845). Later on I will provide more applications of the new kind of deformations in Finsler geometry.
In this paper, we introduce the weighted projective Ricci curvature as an extension of projective Ricci curvature introduced by Z. Shen. We characterize the class of Randers metrics of weighted projective Ricci flat curvature. We find the necessary and sufficient condition under which a Kropina metric has weighted projective Ricci flat curvature. Finally, we show that every projectively flat metric with isotropic weighted projective Ricci and isotropic S-curvature is a Kropina metric or Randers metric.
The study of curvature properties of homogeneous Finsler spaces with $(α, β)$-metrics is one of the central problems in Riemann-Finsler geometry. In this paper, we consider homogeneous Finsler spaces with square metric and Randers change of square metric. First, we derive the explicit formulae for Ricci curvature of homogeneous Finsler spaces with these metrics. Next, we find a necessary and sufficient condition under which a homogeneous Finsler space with either of these metrics is of vanishing $S$-curvature. The formulae for Ricci curvature of homogeneous Finsler spaces with square metric an…
We consider remodeling the planar search patterns, in the presence of the river-type perturbation represented by the weak vector field, basing on the time-optimal paths as Finslerian solutions to the Zermelo navigation problem via Randers metric.
We determine all Finsler metrics of Randers type for which the Riemannian part is a scalar multiple of the Euclidean metric, on an open subset of the Euclidean plane, whose geodesics are circles. We show that the Riemannian part must be of constant Gaussian curvature, and that for every such Riemannian metric there is a class of Randers metrics satisfying the condition, determined up to the addition of a total derivative, depending on a single parameter. As one of several applications we exhibit a Finsler metric whose geodesics are the oriented horocycles in the Poincare disk, in each of the t…
We investigate the relation between weighted quasi-metric Spaces and Finsler Spaces. We show that the induced metric of a Randers space with reversible geodesics is a weighted quasi-metric space.
A Finsler space is called Ricci-quadratic if its Ricci curvature $Ric(x,y)$ is quadratic in $y$. It is called a Berwald space if its Chern connection defines a linear connection directly on the underlying manifold $M$. In this article, we prove that a homogeneous Randers space is Ricci-quadratic if and only if it is of Berwald type.
The Penrose plane wave limit is a remarkable property of Lorentzian spacetimes. Here, we discuss its extension to Finsler spacetimes by introducing suitable lightlike coordinates and adapting the Lorentzian definition of pp-waves. New examples of such Finsler pp-waves are also presented.
We show that in dimension 2 every Finsler metric with at least 3-dimensional Lie algebra of projective vector fields is locally projectively equivalent to a Randers metric. We give a short list of such Finsler metrics which is complete up to coordinate change and projective equivalence.
In this paper, we investigate the spherically symmetric Finsler metrics with isotropic S-curvature and obtain a characterized equation. As an application, we prove that these metrics with Douglas type must be Randers metrics or Berwald metrics. This result leads to two classification theorems.
We proof that in dimension two, a Finsler metric is Douglas and generalized Berwald, if and only if it is Berwald or a Randers metric $α+ β$, where $β$ is closed and is of constant length with respect to $α$.
Finsler metrics of scalar flag curvature play an important role to show the complexity and richness of general Finsler metrics. In this paper, on an $n$-dimensional manifold $M$ we study the Finsler metric $F=F(x,y)$ of scalar flag curvature ${\bf K} = {\bf K}(x,y)$ and discover some equations ${\bf K}$ should be satisfied. As an application, we mainly study the metric $F$ of weakly isotropic flag curvature ${\bf K} = \frac{3 θ}{F} + σ$, where $θ=θ_i(x) y^i \neq 0$ is a $1$-form and $σ=σ(x)$ is a scalar function. We prove that in this case, $F$ must be a Randers metric when $dim(M) \geq 3$. Fu…
Effective field theories with explicit Lorentz violation are intimately linked to Riemann-Finsler geometry. The quadratic single-fermion restriction of the Standard-Model Extension provides a rich source of pseudo-Riemann-Finsler spacetimes and Riemann-Finsler spaces. An example is presented that is constructed from a 1-form coefficient and has Finsler structure complementary to the Randers structure.
In this paper we introduce in study the projectively related complex Finsler metrics. We prove the complex versions of the Rapcsák's theorem and characterize the weakly Kähler and generalized Berwald projectively related complex Finsler metrics. The complex version of Hilbert's Fourth Problem is also pointed out. As an application, the projectiveness of a complex Randers metric is described.
In this paper, we prove two rigidity results for non-positively curved homogeneous Finsler metrics. Our first main result yields an extension of Hu-Deng's well-known result proven for the Randers metrics. Indeed, we prove that every connected homogeneous Finsler space with non-positive flag curvature and isotropic S-curvature is Riemannian or locally Minkowskian. We extend the Szabó's rigidity theorem for Berwald surfaces and show that homogeneous isotropic Berwald metrics with non-positive flag curvature are Riemannian or locally Minkowskian. We prove that a homogeneous $(α, β)$-metrics has i…
A smooth curve on $G/H$ is called a Riemannian equigeodesic if it is a homogeneous geodesic for all $G$-invariant Riemannian metrics on $G/H$. With the $G$-invariant Riemannian metric replaced by other classes of $G$-invariant metrics, we can similarly define Finsler equigeodesic, Randers equigeodesic, $(α,β)$ equigeodesic, etc. In this paper, we study Randers and $(α,β)$ equigeodesics. For a compact homogeneous manifold, we prove Randers and $(α,β)$ equigeodesics are equivalent, and find a criterion for them. Using this criterion we can classify the equigeodesics on many compact homogeneous m…
The geometry and analysis on Finsler manifolds is a very important part of Finsler geometry. In this article, we introduce some important and fundamental topics in global Finsler geometry and discuss the related properties and the relationships in them. In particular, we optimize and improve the various definitions of Lie derivatives on Finsler manifolds. We also characterize the gradient vector fields and obtain a gradient estimate for any smooth function on a Randers manifold.
Recently, wind Riemannian structures (WRS) have been introduced as a generalization of Randers and Kropina metrics. They are constructed from the natural data for Zermelo navigation problem, namely, a Riemannian metric $g_R$ and a vector field $W$ (the wind), where, now, the restriction of mild wind $g_R(W,W)<1$ is dropped. Here, the models of WRS spaceforms of constant flag curvature are determined. Indeed, the celebrated classification of Randers metrics of constant flag curvature by Bao, Robles and Shen, extended to the Kropina case in the works by Yoshikawa, Okubo and Sabau, can be used to…
Guided by the Hopf fibration, we single out a family (indexed by a positive constant K) of right invariant Riemannian metrics on the Lie group $S^3$. Using the Yasuda-Shimada theorem as an inspiration, we determine for each K>1 a privileged right invariant Killing field of constant length. Each such Riemannian metric pairs with the corresponding Killing field to produce a y-global and {\it explicit} Randers metric on $S^3$. Using the machinery of spray curvature and Berwald's formula for it, we prove directly that the said Randers metric has constant positive flag curvature K, as predicted by …
In this paper we first study some global properties of the energy functional on a non-reversible Finsler manifold. In particular we present a fully detailed proof of the Palais--Smale condition under the completeness of the Finsler metric. Moreover we define a Finsler metric of Randers type, which we call Fermat metric, associated to a conformally standard stationary spacetime. We shall study the influence of the Fermat metric on the causal properties of the spacetime, mainly the global hyperbolicity. Moreover we study the relations between the energy functional of the Fermat metric and the Fe…
By using Stationary-to-Randers correspondence (SRC), a characterization of light and time-convexity of the boundary of a region of a standard stationary (n+1)-spacetime is obtained, in terms of the convexity of the boundary of a domain in a Finsler n or (n+1)-space of Randers type. The latter convexity is analyzed in depth and, as a consequence, the causal simplicity and the existence of causal geodesics confined in the region and connecting a point to a stationary line are characterized. Applications to asymptotically flat spacetimes include the light-convexity of stationary hypersurfaces whi…
On a Finsler manifold $(M,L)$, we consider the change $L\longrightarrow\bar{L}(x,y)=e^{σ(x)}L(x,y)+β(x,y)$, which we call a $β$-conformal change. This change generalizes various types of changes in Finsler geometry: conformal, $C$-conformal, $h$-conformal, Randers and generalized Randers changes. Under this change, we obtain an explicit expression relating the Cartan connection associated to $(M,L)$ and the transformed Cartan connection associated to $(M,\bar{L})$. We also express some of the fundamental geometric objects (canonical spray, nonlinear connection, torsion tensors, ...etc.) of $(M…
In this paper, we prove a global rigidity theorem for negatively curved Finsler metrics on a compact manifold of dimension n>2. We show that for such a Finsler manifold, if the flag curvature is a scalar function on the tangent bundle, then the Finsler metric is of Randers type. We also study the case when the Finsler metric is locally projectively flat.
In this paper, we generalize the classification of geodesic orbit spheres from Riemannian geometry to Finsler geometry. Then we further prove if a geodesic orbit Finsler sphere has constant flag curvature, it must be Randers. It provides an alternative proof for the classification of invariant Finsler metrics with $K\equiv1$ on homogeneous spheres other than $Sp(n)/Sp(n-1)$.
In this paper, we study the set of homogeneous geodesics of a leftinvariant Finsler metric on Lie groups. We first give a simple criterion that characterizes geodesic vectors. As an application, we study some geometric properties of bi-invariant Finsler metrics on Lie groups. In particular a necessary and sufficient condition that left-invariant Randers metrics are of Berwald type is given. Finally a correspondence of homogeneous geodesics to critical points of restricted Finsler metrics is given. Then results concerning the existence homogeneous geodesics are obtained.
In the previous paper [MR2430243] we computed some geometric quantities such as curvature and flag curvature for a general left invariant Finsler metric on a two-step nilpotent group. In the present paper we give a more complete description of the Chern--Rund connection defined by a left invariant Randers metric on the 3 dimensional Heisenberg group.
The study of curvature properties of homogeneous Finsler spaces with $(α, β)$-metrics is one of the central problems in Riemann-Finsler geometry. In the present paper, the existence of invariant vector fields on homogeneous Finsler spaces with square $(α, β)$-metric and Randers changed square $(α, β)$-metric is proved. Further, an explicit formula for $S$-curvature of these $(α, β)$-metrics is established. Finally, using the formula of $S$-curvature, the mean Berwald curvature of afore said $(α, β)$-metrics is calculated.
An isometry of a Finsler space is called Clifford-Wolf translation (CW-translation) if it moves all points the same distance. A Finsler space $(M, F)$ is called Clifford-Wolf homogeneous (CW-homogeneous) if for any $x, y\in M$ there is a CW-translation $σ$ such that $σ(x)=y$. We prove that if $F$ is a homogeneous Finsler metric on the sphere $S^n$ such that $(S^n, F)$ is CW-homogeneous, then $F$ must be a Randers metric. This gives a complete classification of CW-homogeneous Finsler metrics on spheres.
By using a certain second order differential equation, the notion of adapted coordinates on Finsler manifolds is defined and some classifications of complete Finsler manifolds are found. Some examples of Finsler metrics, with positive constant sectional curvature, not necessarily of Randers type nor projectively flat, are found. This work generalizes some results in Riemannian geometry and open up, a vast area of research on Finsler geometry.
The collection of all projective vector fields on a Finsler space $(M, F)$ is a finite-dimensional Lie algebra with respect to the usual Lie bracket, called the projective algebra denoted by $p(M,F)$ and is the Lie algebra of the projective group $P(M,F)$. The projective algebra $p(M,F=α+β)$ of a Randers space is characterized as a certain Lie subalgebra of the projective algebra $p(M,α)$. Certain subgroups of the projective group $P(M,F)$ and their invariants are studied. The projective algebra of Randers metrics of constant flag curvature is studied and it is proved that the dimension of the…
In this paper, we classify the spherically symmetric Berwald metrics in $\mathbb{R}^n$. For the spherically symmetric Landsberg metrics, we prove that there do not exist any non-Berwald metrics among the regular case. The partial differential equation systems which can respectively characterize the spherically symmetric Finsler metrics with constant flag curvature and Einstein metrics of this type is also obtained. Utilizing these equations, we find an effective way to construct the non-projective, non-Randers Finsler metrics with constant flag curvature and many explicit examples are given by…
We introduce the notion of a standard static Finsler spacetime where the base is a Finsler manifold. We prove some results which connect causality with the Finslerian geometry of the base extending analogous ones for static and stationary Lorentzian spacetimes.
Weighted Ricci curvatures with various weights of the S-curvature have played an important role in Finsler geometry, especially in the control of volumes of Finsler manifolds. In this paper, we study general weighted Ricci curvatures, and characterize Randers metrics of almost isotropic weighted Ricci curvatures.
Given the class of Finsler spaces with Lorentzian signature $(M,L)$ on a manifold $M$ endowed with a timelike vector field $\mathcal{X}$ satisfying $g_{(x,y)}(\mathcal{X},\mathcal{X})<0$ at any point $(x,y)$ of the slit tangent bundle, a pseudo-Riemannian metric defined on $M$ of signature $n-1$ is associated to the fundamental tensor $g$. Furthermore, an affine, torsion free connection is associated to the Chern connection determined by $L$. The definition of the average connection does not make use of $\mathcal{X}$. Therefore, there is no direct relation between these two averaged objects.
In this paper, we introduce the notion of Einstein-reversibility for Finsler met- rics. We study a class of p-power Finsler metrics determined by a Riemann metric and 1-form which are of Einstein-reversibility. It shows that such a class of Finsler metrics of Einstein-reversibility are always Einstein metrics. In particular, we show that all p-power metrics but Randers metrics, square metrics and 2-dimensional square-root metrics, are always Ricci-flat-parallel. Further, the local structure is almost determined for 2-dimensional square-root metrics which are Einsteinian (equivalently, of isotr…
An $(α,β)$-manifold $(M,F)$ is a Finsler manifold with the Finsler metric $F$ being defined by a Riemannian metric $α$ and $1$-form $β$ on the manifold $M$. In this paper, we classify $n$-dimensional $(α,β)$-manifolds (non-Randers type) which are positively complete and locally projectively flat. We show that the non-trivial class is that $M$ is homeomorphic to the $n$-sphere $S^n$ and $(S^n,F)$ is projectively related to a standard spherical Riemannian manifold, and then we obtain some special geometric properties on the geodesics and scalar flag curvature of $F$ on $S^n$, especially when $F$…
Using a navigation process with the datum $(F,V)$, in which $F$ is a Finsler metric and the smooth tangent vector field $V$ satisfies $F(-V(x))>1$ everywhere, a Lorentz Finsler metric $\tilde{F}$ can be induced. Isoparametric functions and isoparametric hypersurfaces with or without involving a smooth measure can be defined for $\tilde{F}$. When the vector field $V$ in the navigation datum is homothetic, we prove the local correspondences between isoparametric functions and isoparametric hypersurfaces before and after this navigation process. Using these correspondences, we provide some exampl…
Berwald geometries are Finsler geometries close to (pseudo)-Riemannian geometries. We establish a simple first order partial differential equation as necessary and sufficient condition, which a given Finsler Lagrangian has to satisfy to be of Berwald type. Applied to $(α,β)$-Finsler spaces, respectively $(A,B)$-Finsler spacetimes, this reduces to a necessary and sufficient condition for the Levi-Civita covariant derivative of the defining $1$-form. We illustrate our results with novel examples of $(α,β)$-Berwald geometries which represent Finslerian versions of Kundt (constant scalar invariant…
