A method to generalize results from Riemannian Geometry to Finsler geometry is presented. We use the method to generalize several results that involve only metric conditions. Between them we show that the topology induced by the Finsler structure is equivalent to the manifold topology, we provide a new proof of the Hopf-Rinow theorem in Finsler geometry and we prove the existence of the center of mass of a convex body when the non-symmetric distance function comes from a non-reversible Finsler function.
In this paper we study warped product Finsler metrics and show that the notion of isotropic $E$-curvature and isotropic $S$-curvature are equivalent for this class of metrics.
In this paper, we consider doubly warped product (DWP) Finsler manifolds with some non-Riemannian curvature properties. First, we study Berwald and isotropic mean Berwald DWP-Finsler manifolds. Then we prove that every proper Douglas DWP-Finsler manifold is Riemannian. We show that a proper DWP-manifold is Landsbergian if and only it is Berwaldian. In continue, we prove that every relatively isotropic Landsberg DWP-manifold is a Landsberg manifold. We show that a relatively isotropic mean Landsberg warped product manifold is a weakly Landsberg manifold. Finally, we show that there is no any lo…
The aim of this paper is to show that holonomy properties of Finsler manifolds can be very different from those of Riemannian manifolds. We prove that the holonomy group of a positive definite non-Riemannian Finsler manifold of non-zero constant curvature with dimension >2 cannot be a compact Lie group. Hence this holonomy group does not occur as the holonomy group of any Riemannian manifold. In addition, we provide an example of left invariant Finsler metric on the Heisenberg group, so that its holonomy group is not a (finite dimensional) Lie group. These results give a positive answer to the…
In this paper, we use a Killing form on a Riemannian manifold to construct a class of Finsler metrics. We find equations that characterize Einstein metrics among this class. In particular, we construct a family of Einstein metrics on $S^3$ with ${\rm Ric} = 2 F^2$, ${\rm Ric}=0$ and ${\rm Ric}=- 2 F^2$, respectively. This family of metrics provide an important class of Finsler metrics in dimension three, whose Ricci curvature is a constant, but the flag curvature is not.
Given a closed hyperbolic Riemannian surface, the aim of the present paper is to describe an explicit construction of smooth deformations of the hyperbolic metric into Finsler metrics that are not Riemannian and whose properties are such that the classical Riemannian results about entropy rigidity, marked length spectrum rigidity and boundary rigidity all fail to extend to the Finsler category.
A detailed study of the notions of convexity for a hypersurface in a Finsler manifold is carried out. In particular, the infinitesimal and local notions of convexity are shown to be equivalent. Our approach differs from Bishop's one in his classical result (Bishop, Indiana Univ Math J 24:169-172, 1974) for the Riemannian case. Ours not only can be extended to the Finsler setting but it also reduces the typical requirements of differentiability for the metric and it yields consequences on the multiplicity of connecting geodesics in the convex domain defined by the hypersurface.
We show that the volume of a simple Riemannian metric on $D^n$ is locally monotone with respect to its boundary distance function. Namely if $g$ is a simple metric on $D^n$ and $g'$ is sufficiently close to $g$ and induces boundary distances greater or equal to those of $g$, then $vol(D^n,g')\ge vol(D^n,g)$. Furthermore, the same holds for Finsler metrics and the Holmes--Thompson definition of volume. As an application, we give a new proof of the injectivity of the geodesic ray transform for a simple Finsler metric.
The notion of quasi-Einstein metric in physics is equivalent to the notion of Ricci soliton in Riemannian spaces. Quasi-Einstein metrics serve also as solution to the Ricci flow equation. Here, the Riemannian metric is replaced by a Hessian matrix derived from a Finsler structure and a quasi-Einstein Finsler metric is defined. In compact case, it is proved that the quasi-Einstein metrics are solution to the Finslerian Ricci flow and conversely, certain form of solutions to the Finslerian Ricci flow are quasi-Einstein Finsler metrics.
In Finsler geometry the complete lift vector fields have distinguished geometric significance. For example a vector field on a Finsler manifold is said to be conformal if its complete lift is conformal in usual sense. In this work we define a new Riemannian or Pseudo-Riemannian metric on TM derived from a Finsler metric on the base manifold M. This metric is in some senses more general than the other lift metrics defined previously on TM and then we study the complete lift vector fields on TM. More precisely we prove; Let (M,g) be a Finsler manifold, TM its tangent bundle and G a Riemannian me…
The notions of bienergy of a smooth mapping and of biharmonic map between Riemannian manifolds are extended to the case when the domain is Finslerian. We determine the first and the second variation of the bienergy functional, the equations of Finsler-to-Riemann biharmonic maps and some specific examples. Two notable results in Riemannian geometry concerning the inexistence of nonharmonic biharmonic maps are extended without difficulty in our case.
We show that if a Finsler space is conformally automorphic to a Riemannian space and the automorphism is positively homogeneous with respect to tangent vectors, then the indicatrix of the Finsler space is a space of constant curvature. In this case, the Finslerian two-vector angle can explicitly be found, which gives rise to simple and explicit representation for the connection preserving the angle in the indicatrix-homogeneous case. The connection is metrical and the Finsler space is obtainable from the Riemannian space by means of the parallel deformation. Since also the transitivity of cova…
The paper aims to initiate a systematic study of conformal mappings between Finsler spacetimes and, more generally, between pseudo-Finsler spaces. This is done by extending several results in pseudo-Riemannian geometry which are necessary for field-theoretical applications and by proposing a technique which reduces a series of problems involving pseudo-Finslerian conformal vector fields to their pseudo-Riemannian counterparts. Also, we point out, by constructing classes of examples, that conformal groups of flat (locally Minkowskian) pseudo-Finsler spaces can be much richer than both flat Fins…
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…
On the product of two Finsler manifolds M1 M2, we consider the twisted metric F which is construct by using Finsler metrics F1 and F2 on the manifolds M1 and M2, respectively. We introduce horizontal and vertical distributions on twisted product Finsler manifold and study Creducible and semi-C-reducible properties of this manifold. Then we obtain the Riemannian curvature and some of non-Riemannian curvatures of the twisted product Finsler manifold such as Berwald curvature, mean Berwald curvature and we find the relations between these objects and their corresponding objects on M1 and M2. Fina…
In this paper, we study normal homogeneous Finsler spaces. We first define the notion of a normal homogeneous Finsler space, using the method of isometric submersion of Finsler metrics. Then we study the geometric properties. In particular, we establish a technique to reduce the classification of normal homogeneous Finsler spaces of positive flag curvature to an algebraic problem. The main result of this paper is a classification of positively curved normal homogeneous Finsler spaces. It turns out that a coset space $G/H$ admits a positively curved normal homogeneous Finsler metric if and only…
The purpose of this article is to provide a general overview of curvature functional in Finsler geometry and use its information to introduce the gradient flow on Finsler manifolds. For this purpose, we first prove that the space of Finslerian metrics is a Riemannian manifold. Then it is given a decomposition for the tangent space of this Riemannian manifold by means of Riemannian metric and the Berger-Ebin theorem. Next, Finslerian functional is introduced and show that Akbar-Zadeh curvature functional is the example of Finslerian functional. After that, the critical points of Akbar-Zadeh fun…
If the flag curvature of a Finsler manifold reduces to sectional curvature, then locally either the Finsler metric is Riemannian, or the flag curvature is isotropic.
Using the definition of entropy of a family of increasing distances on a compact metric set given in [10] we introduce a notion of Finsler entropy for smooth distributions and Stefan-Sussmann foliations. This concept generalizes most of classical topological entropy on a compact Riemannian manifold : the entropy of a flow ([9]), of a regular foliation ([11]), of a regular distribution ([5]) and of a geometrical structure ([22]). The essential results of this paper is the nullity of the Finsler entropy for a controllable distribution and for a singular Riemannian foliation.
In the present paper, we find out necessary and sufficient conditions for a Finsler surface $(M,F)$ to be Landsbregian in terms of the Berwald curvature $2$-forms. We study Finsler surfaces which satisfy some flag curvature $K$ conditions, viz., $V(K)=0,\,\,V(K)= -\mathcal{I}/F^2$ and $V(K)=-\mathcal{I}\,K,$ where $\mathcal{I}$ is the Cartan scalar. In order to do so, we investigate some geometric objects associated with the global Berwald distribution $\mathcal{D}:= \operatorname{span}\{S, H, V:=JH\}$ of a $2$-dimensional Finsler metrizable nonflat spray $S$. We obtain some classifications of…
A smooth curve on a homogeneous manifold $G/H$ is called a Riemannian equigeo-desic if it is a homogeneous geodesic for any $G$-invariant Riemannian metric. The homogeneous manifold $G/H$ is called Riemannian equigeodesic, if for any $x\in G/H$ and any nonzero $y\in T_x(G/H)$, there exists a Riemannian equigeodesic $c(t)$ with $c(0)=x$ and $\dot{c}(0)=y$. These two notions can be naturally transferred to the Finsler setting, which provides the definitions for Finsler equigeodesic and Finsler equigeodesic space. We prove two classification theorems for Riemannian equigeodesic spaces and Finsler…
Given a Finsler manifold $(M,F)$, it is proved that the first eigenvalue of the Finslerian $p$-Laplacian is bounded above by a constant depending on $\ p$, the dimension of $M$, the Busemann-Hausdorff volume and the reversibility constant of $(M,F)$. For a Randers manifold $(M,F:=\sqrt{g}+β)$, where $g$ is a Riemannian metric on $M$ and $β$ an appropriate $1$-form on $M$, it is shown that the first eigenvalue $λ_{1,p}(M,F)$ of the Finslerian $p$-Laplacian defined by the Finsler metric $F$ is controled by the first eigenvalue $λ_{1,p}(M,g)$ of the Riemannian $p$-Laplacian defined on $(M,g)$. Fi…
The flag curvature is a natural extension of the sectional curvature in Riemannian geometry, and the S-curvature is a non-Riemannian quantity which vanishes for Riemannian metrics. There are (incomplete) non-Riemannian Finsler metrics on an open subset in R^n with negative flag curvature and constant S-curvature. In this paper, we are going to show a global rigidity theorem that every Finsler metric with negative flag curvature and constant S-curvature must be Riemannian if the manifold is compact. We also study the nonpositive flag curvature case.
Generalized Berwald manifolds are Finsler manifolds admitting linear connections such that the parallel transports preserve the Finslerian length of tangent vectors. By the fundamental result of the theory \cite{V5} such a linear connection must be metrical with respect to the averaged Riemannian metric given by integration of the Riemann-Finsler metric on the indicatrix hypersurfaces. Therefore the linear connection is uniquely determined by its torsion tensor. If the torsion is zero then we have a classical Berwald manifolds. Otherwise the torsion is a strange data we need to express in term…
In this paper, as an application of the inverse problem of calculus of variations, we investigate two compatibility conditions on the spherically symmetric Finsler metrics. By making use of these conditions, we focus our attention on the Landsberg spherically symmetric Finsler metrics. We classify all spherically symmetric manifolds of Landsberg or Berwald types. For the higher dimensions $n\geq 3$, we prove that: all Landsberg spherically symmetric manifolds are either Riemannian or their geodesic sprays have a specific formula; all regular Landsberg spherically symmetric metrics are Riemanni…
In the present paper, we introduce and investigate the notion of a semi concurrent vector field on a Finsler manifold. We show that some special Finsler manifolds admitting such vector fields turn out to be Riemannian. We prove that Tachibana's characterization of Finsler manifolds admitting a concurrent vector field leads to Riemannain metrics. We give an answer to the question raised in \cite{DWF}: "Is any n-dimensional Finsler manifold $(M,F)$, admitting a non-constant smooth function $f$ on $M$ such that $\frac{\partial f}{\partial x^i}\frac{\partial g^{ij}}{\partial y^k}=0$, a Riemannian …
We prove some rigidity results on geodesic orbit Finsler spaces with non-positive curvature. In particular, we show that a geodesic Finsler space with strictly negative flag curvature must be a non-compact Riemannian symmetric space of rank one.
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…
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…
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 $F$…
Combining the sharp isoperimetric inequality established by Z. Balogh and A. Kristály [Math. Ann., in press, doi:10.1007/s00208-022-02380-1] with an anisotropic symmetrization argument, we establish sharp Morrey-Sobolev inequalities on $n$-dimensional Finsler manifolds having nonnegative $n$-Ricci curvature. A byproduct of this method is a Hardy-Sobolev-type inequality in the same geometric setting. As applications, by using variational arguments, we guarantee the existence/multiplicity of solutions for certain eigenvalue problems and elliptic PDEs involving the Finsler-Laplace operator. Our r…
In this paper, we study a class of Finsler metrics called general (α,β)-metrics, which are defined by a Riemannian metric and an 1-form. We construct some general (α,β)-metrics with constant Ricci curvature.
Fundamental function in Finsler manifold defines a metrices that depend on a point and a direction. At any point tangent space is a Riemannian and an indicatrix is a convex hypersurface. In this paper a mean curvature of the indicatrix is expressed in terms of fundamental function.
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.
We classify homogeneous reversible Finsler metrics with positive Flag curvature. We show that if G/H admits a G invariant reversible Finsler metric with positive Flag curvature, then up to a few low dimensional spaces, it also admits a G invariant Riemannian metric with positive sectional curvature. For the exceptions, we do not know if they admit homogeneous Finsler metrics with positive Flag curvature.
The main result in this paper is the generalisation of the fundamental equations of a Riemannian submersion presented in the 1966 article by Barrett O'Neill to the context of pseudo-Finsler submersions. In the meantime, we also explore some basic properties of the O'Neill fundamental tensors of the submersion and study Finsler submersions with totally geodesic fibers.
In this paper we show that the geodesic flow of a Finsler metric is Anosov if and only if there exists a $C^2$ open neighborhood of Finsler metrics all of whose closed geodesics are hyperbolic. For surfaces this result holds also for Riemannian metrics. This follows from a recent result of Contreras and Mazzucchelli. Furthermore, geodesic flows of Riemannian or Finsler metrics on surfaces are $C^2$ stably ergodic if and only if they are Anosov.
The Finsler spaces in which the tangent Riemannian spaces are conformally flat prove to be characterized by the condition that the indicatrix is a space of constant curvature. In such spaces the Finslerian normalized two-vector angle can be explicated from the respective two-vector angle of the associated Riemannian space. Therefore the way is opening to propose explicitly the connection preserving the angle even at the indicatrix-inhomogeneous level, that is, when the indicatrix curvature value ${\mathcal C}_{\text{Ind.}} $ is permitted to be an arbitrary smooth function of the indicatrix pos…
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 $Sp(n)/Sp(n-1)$.
We prove that the systolic ratio of a sphere of revolution $S$ does not exceed $π$ and equals $π$ if and only if $S$ is Zoll. More generally, we consider the rotationally symmetric Finsler metrics on a sphere of revolution which are defined by shifting the tangent unit circles by a Killing vector field. We prove that in this class of metrics the systolic ratio does not exceed $π$ and equals $π$ if and only if the metric is Riemannian and Zoll.
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…
In this paper, we characterize locally dually flat generalized m-th root Finsler metrics. Then we find a condition under which a generalized m-th root metric is projectively related to a m-th root metric. Finally, we prove that if a generalized m-th root metric is conformal to a m-th root metric, then both of them reduce to Riemannian metrics.
The authors found extremals of arbitrary left-invariant sub-Finsler metric on the Engel group defined by a distribution of rank two. They use for this the Pontryagin Maximum Principle for the corresponding time-optimal problem in coordinates of the first kind. The obtained results are applied to the case of left-invariant sub-Riemannian metric with the same distribution.
This thesis contains an introduction to the method of average in Finsler geometry. The method is applied to Berwald spaces, obtaining geodesic rigidity conditions. We prove that the Levi-Civita connection of any Riemannian metric affine equivalent to the Berwald metric leaves invariant the indicatrix of th Finsler metric F. A converse result also holds: if (M,F) is a Finsler structure such that there is a Riemannian connection whose Levi-Civita leaves invariant by parallel transport the indicatrix of the Finsler structure, then the structure (M,F) is Berwald. As an application we obtain a nece…
For compact manifolds with infinite fundamental group we present sufficient topological or metric conditions ensuring the existence of two geometrically distinct closed geodesics. We also show how results about generic Riemannian metrics can be carried over to Finsler metrics.
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…
