The book "Handbook of Finsler geometry" has been included with a CD containing an elegant Maple package, FINSLER, for calculations in Finsler geometry. Using this package, an example concerning a Finsler generalization of Einstein's vacuum field equations was treated. In this example, the calculation of the components of the hv-curvature of Cartan connection leads to wrong expressions. On the other hand, the FINSLER package works only in dimension four. We introduce a new Finsler package in which we fix the two problems and solve them. Moreover, we extend this package to compute not only the geometric objects associated with Cartan connection but also those associated with Berwald, Chern and Hashiguchi connections in any dimension. These improvements have been illustrated by a concrete example. Furthermore, the problem of simplifying tensor expressions is treated. This paper is intended to make calculations in Finsler geometry more easier and simpler.
The norm of Cartan torsion plays an important role for studying of immersion theory in Finsler geometry. Indeed, Finsler manifold with unbounded Cartan torsion can not be isometrically imbedded into any Minkowski space. In this paper, we find two subclasses of (?, ?)-metrics which have bounded Cartan torsion. Then, we give two subclasses of (?, ?)-metrics whose bound on the Cartan torsions are independent of the norm of ?.
Using the Pontryagin Maximum Principle for the time-optimal problem in coordinates of the first kind, we find extremals of abitrary left-invariant sub-Finsler quasimetric on the Cartan group defined by a distribution of rank two.
An (I,J,K)-generalized Finsler structure on a 3-manifold is a generalization of a Finslerian structure, introduced in order to separate and clarify the local and global aspects in Finsler geometry making use of the Cartan's method of exterior differential systems. In this paper, we show that there is a close relation between (I,J,1)-generalized Finsler structures and a class of contact circles, namely the so-called Cartan structures. This correspondence allows us to determine the topology of 3-manifolds that admit (I, J, 1)-generalized Finsler structures and to single out classes of (I, J, 1)-…
The Klein-Grifone approach to global Finsler geometry is adopted. The nullity distributions of the three curvature tensors of Cartan connection are investigated. Nullity distributions concerning certain relevant special Finsler spaces are considered. Concrete examples are given whenever the situation needs.
In this paper, we identify the Bott connection on the natural foliation of the projective sphere bundle of a Finsler manifold to the Chern connection of this manifold. As a consequence, the symmetrization of the Bott connection turns out to be the Cartan connection of the Finsler manifold. Following Liu-Zhang \cite{LiuZ}, the Cartan connection can also be obtained through an adiabatic limit process. Furthermore, a Chern-Simons type form is defined and its conformal properties are discussed.
The present paper unifies some aspects concerning the vertical Liouville distributions on the tangent (cotangent) bundle of a Finsler (Cartan) space in the context of generalized geometry. More exactly, we consider the big-tangent manifold $\mathcal{T}M$ associated to a Finsler space $(M,F)$ and of its $\mathcal{L}$-dual which is a Cartan space $(M,K)$ and we define three Liouville distributions on $\mathcal{T}M$ which are integrable. We also find geometric properties of both leaves of Liouville distribution and the vertical distribution in our context.
In this paper we study a sub-Finsler geometric problem on the free-nilpotent group of rank 2 and step 3. Such a group is also called Cartan group and has a natural structure of Carnot group, which we metrize considering the $\ell_\infty$ norm on its first layer. We adopt the point of view of time-optimal control theory. We characterize extremal curves via Pontryagin maximum principle. We describe abnormal and singular arcs, and construct the bang-bang flow.
This paper is a continuation of the work by the same authors on the Cartan group equipped with the sub-Finsler $\ell_\infty$ norm. We start by giving a detailed presentation of the structure of bang-bang extremal trajectories. Then we prove upper bounds on the number of switchings on bang-bang minimizers. We prove that any normal extremal is either bang-bang, or singular, or mixed. Consequently, we study mixed extremals. In particular, we prove that every two points can be connected by a piecewise smooth minimizer, and we give a uniform bound on the number of such pieces.
Recently we have obtained the Cartan connection for the Finsler space whose metric is given by an exponential change with an h-vector. In this paper, we discuss certain geometric properties of a Finslerian hyperspace subjected to an h-exponential change of metric.
We study the relation between an R-Cartan structure α and an (I, J, K)- generalized Finsler structure on a 3-manifold showing the difficulty in finding a general transformation that maps these structures each other. In some particular cases, the mapping can be uniquely determined by geometrical conditions.
Adopting the pullback approach to global Finsler geometry, the aim of the present paper is to provide new intrinsic (coordinate-free) proofs of intrinsic versions of the existence and uniqueness theorems for the Cartan and Berwald connections on a Finsler manifold. To accomplish this, the notions of semispray and nonlinear connection associated with a given regular connection, in the pullback bundle, is introduced and investigated. Moreover, it is shown that for the Cartan and Berwald connections, the associated semispray coincides with the canonical spray and the associated nonlinear connecti…
From the point of view of index theory, we give a simple proof of a Gauss-Bonnet-Chern formula for all Finsler manifolds by the Cartan connection. Based on this, we establish a Gauss-Bonnet-Chern formula for any metric-compatible connection and also derive the Gauss-Bonnet-Chern formula of Lackey.
In this paper we adopt the pullback approach to global Finsler geometry. We investigate horizontally recurrent Finsler connections. We prove that for each scalar ($π$)1-form $A$, there exists a unique horizontally recurrent Finsler connection whose $h$-recurrence form is $A$. This result generalizes the existence and uniqueness theorem of Cartan connection. We then study some properties of a special kind of horizontally recurrent Finsler connection, which we call special HRF-connection.
Some general Finsler connections are defined. Emphasis is being made on the Cartan tensor and its derivatives. Vanishing of the hv-curvature tensors of these connections characterizes Landsbergian, Berwaldian as well as Riemannian structures. This view point makes it possible to give a smart representation of connection theory in Finsler geometry and yields to a classification of Finsler connections. Some practical applications of these connections are also considered.
Adopting the pullback formalism, a new linear connection in Finsler geometry has been introduced and investigated. Such connection unifies all formerly known Finsler connections and some other connections not introduced so far. Also, our connection is a Finslerian version of the Tripathi connection introduced in Riemannian geometry. The existence and uniqueness of such connection is proved intrinsically. An explicit intrinsic expression relating this connection to Cartan connection is obtained. Some generalized Finsler connections are constructed from Tripathi Finsler connection, by applying t…
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…
We investigate the Cartan and Finsler geometry of the rotating Kepler problem, a limit case of the restricted three body problem that arises if the mass of the one of the primaries goes to zero. We show that the Hamiltonian for the rotating Kepler problem can be regarded as the Legendre transform of a certain family of Finsler metrics on the two-sphere. For very negative energy levels, these Finsler metrics are close to the round metric, and the associated flag curvature is hence positive. On the other hand, we show that the flag curvature can become negative once the energy level becomes suff…
The paper develops the Finsler-like geometry on the 1-jet space for the jet conformal Minkowski (JCM) metric, which naturally extends the Minkowski metric in the Chernov-Pavlov framework. To this aim there are determined the nonlinear connection, distinguished (d-) Cartan linear connection, d-torsions and d-curvatures. The field geometrical gravitational and electromagnetic d-models based on the JCM metric are discussed.
A geodesic circle in Finsler geometry is a natural extension of that in a Euclidean space. In this paper, we apply Lie derivatives and the Cartan $Y$-connection to study geodesic circles and (infinitesimal) concircular transformations on a Finsler manifold. We characterize a concircular vector field with some PDEs on the tangent bundle, and then we obtain respective necessary and sufficient conditions for a concircular vector field to be conformal and a conformal vector field to be concircular. We also show conditions for two conformally related Finsler metrics to be concircular, and obtain so…
Berwald metrics are particular Finsler metrics which still have linear Berwald connections. Their complete classification is established in an earlier work, [Sz1], of this author. The main tools in these classification are the Simons-Berger holonomy theorem and the Weyl-group theory. It turnes out that any Berwald metric is a perturbed-Cartesian product of Riemannian, Minkowski, and such non-Riemannian metrics which can be constructed on irreducible symmetric manifolds of $rank > 1$. The existence of these metrics are well established by the above theories. The present paper has several new fe…
Let (M_1,F_1) and (M_2,F_2) be a pair of Finsler manifolds. The Minkowskian product Finsler manifold (M,F) of (M_1,F_1) and (M_2,F_2) with respect to a product function f is the product manifold M=M_1\times M_2 endowed with the Finsler metric F^2=f(K,H), where K=(F_1)^2,H=(F_2)^2. In this paper, the Cartan connection and Berwald connection of (M,F) are derived in terms of the corresponding objects of (M_1,F_1) and (M_2,F_2). Necessary and sufficient conditions for (M,F) to be Berwald (resp. weakly Berwald, Landsberg, weakly Landsberg) manifold are obtained. Thus an effective method for constru…
We explore a connection between the Finslerian area functional and well-investigated Cartan functionals to prove new Bernstein theorems, uniqueness and removability results for Finsler-minimal graphs, as well as enclosure theorems and isoperimetric inequalities for minimal immersions in Finsler spaces. In addition, we establish the existence of smooth Finsler-minimal immersions spanning given extreme or graphlike boundary contours.
A $C^0$-Finsler structure is a continuous function $F:TM \rightarrow [0,\infty)$ defined on the tangent bundle of a differentiable manifold $M$ such that its restriction to each tangent space is an asymmetric norm. We use the convolution of $F$ with the standard mollifier in order to construct a mollifier smoothing of $F$, which is a one parameter family of Finsler structures $F_\varepsilon$ (of class $\mathit{C}^\infty$ on $TM\backslash 0$) that converges uniformly to $F$ on compact subsets of $TM$. We prove that when $F$ is a Finsler structure, then the Chern connection, the Cartan connectio…
We explore a connection between the Finslerian area functional based on the Busemann-Hausdorff-volume form, and well-investigated Cartan functionals to solve Plateau's problem in Finsler 3-space, and prove higher regularity of solutions. Free and semi-free geometric boundary value problems, as well as the Douglas problem in Finsler space can be dealt with in the same way. We also provide a simple isoperimetric inequality for minimal surfaces in Finsler spaces.
The objective of this article is to build up a general theory of geometrical optics for spinning light rays in an inhomogeneous and anisotropic medium modeled on a Finsler manifold. The prerequisites of local Finsler geometry are reviewed together with the main properties of the Cartan connection used in this work. Then, the principles of Finslerian spinoptics are formulated on the grounds of previous work on Riemannian spinoptics, and relying on the generic coadjoint orbits of the Euclidean group. A new presymplectic structure on the indicatrix-bundle is introduced, which gives rise to a foli…
A new convenient method of describing flat convex compact sets is proposed. It generalizes classical trigonometric functions $\sin$ and $\cos$. Apparently, this method may be very useful for explicit description of solutions of optimal control problems with two-dimensional control. Using this method a series of sub-Finsler problems with two-dimensional control lying in an arbitrary convex set $Ω$ is investigated. Namely, problems on the Heisenberg, Engel, and Cartan groups and also Grushin's and Martinet's cases are considered. A particular attention is paid to the case when $Ω$ is a polygon.
The book contains a collection of works on Riemann-Cartan and metric-affine manifolds provided with nonlinear connection structure and on generalized Finsler-Lagrange and Cartan-Hamilton geometries and Clifford structures modelled on such manifolds. The choice of material presented has evolved from various applications in modern gravity and geometric mechanics and certain generalizations to noncommutative Riemann-Finsler geometry. The authors develop and use the method of anholonomic frames with associated nonlinear connection structure and apply it to a number of concrete problems: constructi…
The flag curvature of a Finsler metric is called a Riemannian quantity because it is an extension of sectional curvature in Riemannian geometry. In Finsler geometry, there are several non-Riemannian quantities such as the (mean) Cartan torsion, the (mean) Landsberg curvature and the S-curvature, which all vanish for Riemannian metrics. It is important to understand the geometric meanings of these quantities. In this paper, we study Finsler metrics of scalar curvature (i.e., the flag curvature is a scalar function on the slit tangent bundle) and partially determine the flag curvature when certa…
We develop the method of anholonomic frames with associated nonlinear connection (in brief, N--connection) structure and show explicitly how geometries with local anisotropy (various type of Finsler--Lagrange--Cartan--Hamilton geometry) can be modeled in the metric--affine spaces. There are formulated the criteria when such generalized Finsler metrics are effectively induced in the Einstein, teleparallel, Riemann--Cartan and metric--affine gravity. We argue that every generic off--diagonal metric (which can not be diagonalized by coordinate transforms) is related to specific N--connection conf…
The aim of the present paper is to establish a global theory of conformal changes in Finsler geometry. Under this change, we obtain the relationships between the most important geometric objects associated to $(M,L)$ and the corresponding objects associated to $(M,\tilde{L})$, $\widetilde{L}=e^{σ(x)} L$ being the Finsler conformal transformation. We have found explicit global expressions relating the two associated Cartan connections $\nabla$ and $\widetilde{\nabla}$, the two associated Berwald connections $D$ and $\widetilde{D}$ and the two associated Barthel connections $Γ$ and $\widetildeΓ$…
It is still a long-standing open problem in Finsler geometry, is there any regular Landsberg metric which is not Berwaldian. However, there are non-regular Landsberg metrics which are not Berwladian. The known examples are established by G. S. Asanov and Z. Shen. In this paper, we use the Maple program to study some explicit examples of non-Berwaldian Landsberg metrics. In fact, such kinds of examples are very tedious and complicated to investigate. Nonetheless, we use the maple program and Finsler packages to simplify the calculations in an elegant way. Depending on these examples, we manage …
In the present paper, the $(HM',S,T)$-Cartan connections on pseudo-Finsler manifolds, introduced by A. Bejancu and H.R. Farran, are obtained by the natural almost complex structure arising from the nonlinear connection $HM'$. We prove that the natural almost complex linear connection associated to a $(HM',S,T)$-Cartan connection is a metric linear connection with respect to the Sasaki metric $G$. Finally we give some conditions for $(M', J, G)$ to be a Kähler manifold.
The Klein-Grifone approach to global Finsler geometry is adopted. A global existence and uniqueness theorem for Chern connection is formulated and proved. The torsion and curvature tensors of Chern connection are derived. Some properties and the Bianchi identities for this connection are investigated. A concise comparison between Berwald, Cartan and Chern connections is presented.
Adopting the pullback approach to global Finsler geometry, the aim of the present paper is to provide intrinsic (coordinate-free) proofs of the existence and uniqueness theorems for the Chern (Rund) and Hashiguchi connections on a Finsler manifold. To accomplish this, we introduce and investigate the notions of semispray and nonlinear connection associated with a given regular connection, in the pullback bundle. Moreover, it is shown that for the the Chern (Rund) and Hashiguchi connections, the associated semispray coincides with the canonical spray and the associated nonlinear connection coin…
The work extends the A. Connes' noncommutative geometry to spaces with generic local anisotropy. We apply the E. Cartan's anholonomic frame approach to geometrical models and physical theories and develop the nonlinear connection formalism for projective module spaces. Examples of noncommutative generation of anholonomic Riemann, Finsler and Lagrange spaces are analyzed. We also present a research on noncommutative Finsler--gauge theories, generalized Finsler gravity and anholonomic (pseudo) Riemann geometry which appear naturally if anholonomic frames (vierbeins) are defined in the context of…
The geometry of nonholonomic bundle gerbes, provided with nonlinear connection structure, and nonholonomic gerbe modules is elaborated as the theory of Clifford modules on nonholonomic manifolds which positively fail to be spin. We explore an approach to such nonholonomic Dirac operators and derive the related Atiyah-Singer index formulas. There are considered certain applications in modern gravity and geometric mechanics of such Clifford-Lagrange/ Finsler gerbes and their realizations as nonholonomic Clifford and Riemann-Cartan modules.
We elaborate an unified geometric approach to classical mechanics, Riemann-Finsler spaces and gravity theories on Lie algebroids provided with nonlinear connection (N-connection) structure. There are investigated the conditions when the fundamental geometric objects like the anchor, metric and linear connection, almost sympletic and related almost complex structures may be canonically defined by a N-connection induced from a regular Lagrangian (or Hamiltonian), in mechanical models, or by generic off-diagonal metric terms and nonholonomic frames, in gravity theories. Such geometric constructio…
The aim of the present paper is to provide an \emph{intrinsic} investigation of the properties of the most important geometric objects associated with the fundamental linear connections in Finsler geometry. We investigate intrinsically the most general relations concerning the torsion tensor fields and the curvature tensor fields associated with a given regular connection on the pullback bundle of a Finsler manifold. These relations, in turn, play a key role in obtaining other interesting results concerning the properties of the most important geometric objects associated with the fundamental …
The present paper deals with an \emph{intrinsic} investigation of the notion of a concurrent $π$-vector field on the pullback bundle of a Finsler manifold $(M,L)$. The effect of the existence of a concurrent $π$-vector field on some important special Finsler spaces is studied. An intrinsic investigation of a particular $β$-change, namely the energy $β$-change ($\widetilde{L}^{2}(x,y)=L^{2}(x,y)+ B^{2}(x,y) with \ B:=g(\barζ,\barη)$; $\barζ $ being a concurrent $π$-vector field), is established. The relation between the two Barthel connections $Γ$ and $\widetildeΓ$, corresponding to this change…
I do not agree with the authors of papers arXiv:0806.2184 and arXiv:0901.1023v1 (published in Phys. Lett., respectively, B668 (2008) 453 and B676 (2009) 173). They consider that \textit{"In Finsler manifold, there exists a unique linear connection - the Chern connection ... It is torsion freeness and metric compatibility ... "}. There are well known results (for example, presented in monographs by H. Rund and R. Miron and M. Anastasiei) that in Finsler geometry there exist an infinite number of linear connections defined by the same metric structure and that the Chern and Berwald connections \…
We formulate an approach to the geometry of Riemann-Cartan spaces provided with nonholonomic distributions defined by generic off-diagonal and nonsymmetric metrics inducing effective nonlinear and affine connections. Such geometries can be modelled by moving nonholonomic frames on (pseudo) Riemannian manifolds and describe various types of nonholonomic Einstein, Eisenhart-Moffat and Finsler-Lagrange spaces with connections compatible to a general nonsymmetric metric structure. Elaborating a metrization procedure for arbitrary distinguished connections, we define the class of distinguished line…
We propose a new framework for constructing geometric and physical models on nonholonomic manifolds provided both with Clifford -- Lie algebroid symmetry and nonlinear connection structure. Explicit parametrizations of generic off-diagonal metrics and linear and nonlinear connections define different types of Finsler, Lagrange and/or Riemann-Cartan spaces. A generalization to spinor fields and Dirac operators on nonholonomic manifolds motivates the theory of Clifford algebroids defined as Clifford bundles, in general, enabled with nonintegrable distributions defining the nonlinear connection. …
We survey the geometry of Lagrange and Finsler spaces and discuss the issues related to the definition of curvature of nonholonomic manifolds enabled with nonlinear connection structure. It is proved that any commutative Riemannian geometry (in general, any Riemann--Cartan space) defined by a generic off--diagonal metric structure (with an additional affine connection possessing nontrivial torsion) is equivalent to a generalized Lagrange, or Finsler, geometry modeled on nonholonomic manifolds. This results in the problem of constructing noncommutative geometries with local anisotropy, in parti…
