23 pages, LaTeX file, This paper was presented in "The 9 th. International Conference of Tensor Society on Differential Geometry, informatics and their Applications" held at Sapporo, Japan, September 4-8, 2006
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 $\widetildeΓ$. The relationships between the corresponding curvature tensors have been also found. The relations thus obtained lead in turn to several interesting results.
Among the results obtained, is a characterization of conformal changes, a characterization of homotheties, some conformal invariants and conformal $σ$-invariants. In addition, several useful identities have been found.
Our global theory of conformal Finsler geometry is established within the Pull-back approach, making simultaneous use of the Klein-Grifone approach. This has been done via certain links we have found between both approaches (This shows that these two approaches to global Finsler geometry are not alternatives but rather complementary).
Although our treatment is entirely global, the local expressions of the obtained results, when calculated, coincide with the existing classical local results.
The conformal properties of complex Finsler metrics are studied. We give a characterization of a compact complex Finsler manifold to be globally conformal Kähler. The critical points of the total holomorphic curvature and total Ricci curvature in the volume preserved conformal classes are studied. The stability of critical Kähler Finsler metrics is obtained. A Yamabe type problem for mean Ricci curvature is considered.
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…
Applying concepts and tools from classical tangent bundle geometry and using the apparatus of the calculus along the tangent bundle projection ('pull-back formalism'), first we enrich the known lists of the characterizations of affine vector fields on a spray manifold and conformal vector fields on a Finsler manifold. Second, we deduce consequences on vector fields on the underlying manifold of a Finsler structure having one or two of the mentioned geometric properties.
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…
In this paper, it is proved that any conformal vector field is homothetic on a locally projectively flat $(α,β)$-space of non-Randers type in dimension $n\ge 3$, and the local solutions of such a vector field are determined. While on a locally projectively flat Randers space, examples showthat the conformal vector fields are not necessarily homothetic.
In this paper, we first give two fundamental principles under a technique to characterize conformal vector fields of $(α,β)$ spaces to be homothetic and determine the local structure of those homothetic fields. Then we use the principles to study conformal vector fields of some classes of $(α,β)$ spaces under certain curvature conditions. Besides, we construct a family of non-homothetic conformal vector fields on a family of locally projectively Randers spaces.
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.
Thurston, in 1986, discovered that the Schwarzian derivative has mysterious properties similar to the curvature on a manifold. After his work, there are several approaches to develop this notion on Riemannian manifolds. Here, a tensor field is identified in the study of global conformal diffeomorphisms on Finsler manifolds as a natural generalization of the Schwarzian derivative. Then, a natural definition of a Mobius mapping on Finsler manifolds is given and its properties are studied. In particular, it is shown that Mobius mappings are mappings that preserve circles and vice versa. Therefore…
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…
In this paper we prove several multiplicity results of $t$-periodic light rays in conformally stationary spacetimes using the Fermat metric and the extensions of the classical theorems of Gromoll-Meyer and Bangert-Hingston to Finsler manifolds. Moreover, we exhibit some stationary spacetimes with a finite number of $t$-periodic light rays and compute a lower bound for the period of the light rays when the flag curvature of the Fermat metric is $η$-pinched.
Here, by extending the definition of circle to Finsler geometry, we show that, every circle-preserving local diffeomorphism is conformal. This result implies that in Finsler geometry, the definition of concircular change of metrics, a priori, does not require the conformal assumption.
Here, the concept of electric capacity on Finsler spaces is introduced and the fundamental conformal invariant property is proved, i.e. the capacity of a compact set on a connected non-compact Finsler manifold is conformal invariant. This work enables mathematicians and theoretical physicists to become more familiar with the global Finsler geometry and one of its new applications.
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.
The present paper is a continuation of a foregoing paper [Tensor, N. S., 69 (2008), 155-178]. The main aim is to establish \emph{an intrinsic investigation} of the conformal change of the most important special Finsler spaces, namely, $C^{h}$-recurrent, $C^{v}$-recurrent, $C^{0}$-recurrent, $C_{2}$-like, quasi-$C$-reducible, $C$-reducible, Berwald space, $S^{v}$-recurrent, $P^*$-Finsler manifold, $R_{3}$-like, $P$-symmetric, Finsler manifold of $p$-scalar curvature and Finsler manifold of $s$-$ps$-curvature. Necessary and sufficient conditions for such special Finsler manifolds to be invariant…
As a natural application of the {\it theory of geometric averaging} in Finsler geometry and generalized Finsler geometry, a new approach to investigate {\it generalized Finsler geometry}, based on a convex invariance of the average structures, is introduced.
Here, a non-linear analysis method is applied rather than classical one to study projective Finsler geometry. More intuitively, by means of an inequality on Ricci-Finsler curvature, a projectively invariant pseudo-distance is introduced and an analogous of Schwarz' lemma in Finsler geometry is proved. Next, the Schwarz' lemma is applied to show that the introduced pseudo-distance is a distance. This projectively invariant distance will be served in continuation of this work to investigate Einstein-Finsler spaces and classify Finsler spaces as well.
We prove the Finsler analog of the conformal Lichnerowicz-Obata conjecture showing that a complete and essential conformal vector field on a non-Riemannian Finsler manifold is a homothetic vector field of a Minkowski metric.
Here, an axiom of spheres in Finsler geometry is proposed and it is proved that if a Finslerian manifold satisfies the axiom of spheres then it is of constant flag curvature.
In this paper, we introduce and investigate a general transformation or change of Finsler metrics, which is referred to as a generalized $β$-conformal change: $$L(x,y) \longrightarrow\overline{L}(x,y) = f(e^{σ(x)}L(x,y),β(x,y)).$$ This transformation combines both $β$-change and conformal change in a general setting. The change, under this transformation, of the fundamental Finsler connections, together with their associated geometric objects, are obtained. Some invariants and various special Finsler spaces are investigated under this change. The most important changes of Finsler metrics exist…
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…
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.
We prove Hessian comparison theorems, Laplacian comparison theorems and volume comparison theorems of Finsler manifolds under various curvature conditions. As applications, we derive Mckean type theorems for the first eigenvalue of Finsler manifolds, as well as generalize a result on fundamental group due to Milnor to Finsler manifolds.
In this paper, we prove that lightlike geodesics of a pseudo-Finsler manifold and its focal points are preserved up to reparametrization by anisotropic conformal changes, using the Chern connection and the anisotropic calculus and the fact that geodesics are critical points of the energy functional and Jacobi fields, the kernel of its index form. This result has applications to the study of Finsler spacetimes.
Finsleroid-Finsler metrics form an important class of singular (y-local) Finsler metrics. They were introduced by G. S. Asanov [2] in 2006. As the special case of the general construction Asanov produced singular (y - local) examples of Landsberg spaces of dimension at least three that are not of Berwald type. The existence of regular (y - global) Landsberg metrics that are not of Berwald type is an open problem up to this day; for a detailed exposition of the so-called unicorn problem in Finsler geometry see D. Bao [3]. In this paper we are going to characterize the Finsleroid-Finsler metrics…
In this short paper, we study a symmetric covariant tensor in Finsler geometry, which is called the mean Berwald curvature. We first investigate the geometry of the fibres as the submanifolds of the tangent sphere bundle on a Finsler manifold. Then we prove that if the mean Berwald curvature is isotropic along fibres, then the Berwald scalar curvature is constant along fibres.
In this paper, we first establish an equivalence theorem of Minkowski spaces by using results in centro-affine differential geometry. As an application in Finsler geometry, we gives some new characterizations of Berwald spaces.
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 $Sp(n)/Sp(n-1)$.
I show that Matsumoto conjectured inequality between relative length and Finsler length is false. The incorrectness of the claim is easily inferred from the geometry of the indicatrix.
In this short note, we prove that if $F$ is a weak upper semicontinuous admissible Finsler structure on a domain in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\geq 2$, then the intrinsic distance and differential structures coincide.
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 establish two Santaló type formulas for general Finsler manifolds. As applications, we derive a universal lower bound for the first eigenvalue of the nonlinear Laplacian, two Croke type isoperimetric inequalities, and a Yamaguch type finiteness theorem in Finser geometry.
Based on a self-contained, coordinate-free exposition of the necessary concepts and tools of spray and Finsler geometry (with detailed proofs), we derive new results among others on the consequences of the direction-independence of the Landsberg tensor and the stretch tensor of a Finsler manifold. We show that an at least 3-dimensional Finsler manifold with vanishing projected Berwald tensor is a Berwald manifold. To obtain consequences in two dimensions, we transcript Berwald's classical theory on 2-dimensional Finsler manifolds in our setup. We prove criteria and necessary conditions for Fin…
We propose a unified approach to the theory of connections in the geometry of sprays and Finsler metrics which, in particular, gives a simple explanation of the well-known fact that all the classical Finslerian connections provide exactly the same formulas appearing in the calculus of variations.
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.
Ricci solitons on Finsler spaces, previously developed by the present authors, are a generalization of Einstein spaces, which can be considered as a solution to the Ricci flow on compact Finsler manifolds. In the present work it is shown that on a Finslerian space, a forward complete shrinking Ricci soliton is compact if and only if it is bounded. Moreover, it is proved that a compact shrinking Finslerian Ricci soliton has finite fundamental group and hence the first de Rham cohomology group vanishes.
We express invariants of Finsler manifolds in a geometrical way by means of using moving planes and their associated Jacobi curves, which are curves in a fixed homogeneous Grassmann manifold. Some applications are given.
In this paper, we explore the similarity between normal homogeneity and $δ$-homogeneity in Finsler geometry. They are both non-negatively curved Finsler spaces. We show that any connected $δ$-homogeneous Finsler space is $G$-$δ$-homo-geneous, for some suitably chosen connected quasi-compact $G$. So $δ$-homogeneous Finsler metrics can be defined by a bi-invariant singular metric on $G$ and submersion, just as normal homogeneous metrics, using a bi-invariant Finsler metric on $G$ instead. More careful analysis shows, in the space of all Finsler metrics on $G/H$, the subset of all $G$-$δ$-homogen…
The problem of conformal transformation and conformal flatness of Finsler spaces has been studied by so many researchers $\left[ 6,16,17,20,21\right] .$ Recently, Prasad et. al $\left[ 19\right] $ have studied three dimensional conformally flat Landsberg and Berwald spaces and have given some important results. The purpose of the present paper is to extend the idea of conformal change to four dimensional Finsler spaces and find the suitable conditions under which a four dimensional conformally flat Landsberg space becomes a Berwald space.
The $π$-exterior derivative $ød$, which is the Finslerian generalization of the (usual) exterior derivative $d$ of Riemannian geometry, is defined. The notion of a $ød$-closed vector field is introduced and investigated. Various characterizations of $ød$-closed vector fields are established. Some results concerning $ød$-closed vector fields in relation to certain special Finsler spaces are obtained.
Horizontal endomorphisms, almost complex structures, vertical, horizontal and complete lifts on prolongation of a Lie algebroid are considered. Then using exact sequences, semisprays are constructed. Moreover, important geometrical objects such as classical distinguished connections, torsions and partial curvatures are studied on prolongation of Lie algebroids. Considering pullback bundle, covariant derivatives are scrutinized based on anchor map. Several Finsler geometry models on Lie algebroid structures, will organized via recent arguments. Finally, it will be overhaulled some special Finsl…
We investigate what we call a conformal $β$ - change in Finsler spaces, namely $$ L(x,y)\to ~^{\ast}L(x,y)=e^{σ(x)}L(x,y)+β(x,y)$$ where~$σ~$ is a function of $x~ only ~and ~ β(x, y)$ is a given 1- form. This change generalizes various types of changes: conformal changes, Randers changes and $β$ - changes. Under this change, we obtain the relationships between some tensors associated with $(M,L)$ and the corresponding tensors associated with $(M,{^\ast}L)$. We investigate some $σ$- invariant tensors . This investigation allows us to give an answer to the question: Are the properties of C-reduc…
Studying various functionals and associated gradient ows are known problems in differential geometry. The perpose of this article is to provide a general overview of curvature functionals in Finsler geometry and use their information for introducing different gradient ows on Finsler manifolds.
The Finslerian unit ball is called the {\it Finsleroid} if the covering indicatrix is a space of constant curvature. We prove that Finsler spaces with such indicatrices possess the remarkable property that the tangent spaces are conformally flat with the conformal factor of the power dependence on the Finsler metric function. It is amazing but the fact that in such spaces the notion of the two-vector angle defined by the geodesic arc on the indicatrix can readily be induced from the Riemannian space obtained upon the conformal transformation, which opens up the straightforward way to induce al…
Here, a non-linear analysis method is applied rather than classical one to study projective changes of Finsler metrics. More intuitively, a projectively invariant pseudo-distance is introduced and characterized with respect to the Ricci tensor and its covariant derivatives.
Let (M.F) be a complete Finsler manifold and P be a minimal and compact submanifold of M. Ric_k(x), x in M is a differential invariant that interpolates between the flag curvature and the Ricci curvature. We prove that if on any geodesic c(t) emanating orthogonally from P we have \int_{0}^{\infty}\mathbf{Ric}_{k}(t)>0, then M is compact.
The aim of this paper is to develop on the 1-jet space J^1(R,M^3) the Finsler-like geometry (in the sense of distinguished (d-) connection, d-torsions and d-curvatures) of the rheonomic Berwald-Moor metric of order three. Some natural geometrical field theories (gravitational and electromagnetic) produced by the preceding rheonomic Berwald-Moor metric of order three are also exposed.
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.
In this paper, we investigate the change of Finslr metrics $$L(x,y) \to\bar{L}(x,y) = f(e^{σ(x)}L(x,y),β(x,y)),$$ which we refer to as a generalized $β$-conformal change. Under this change, we study some special Finsler spaces, namely, quasi C-reducible, semi C-reducible, C-reducible, $C_2$-like, $S_3$-like and $S_4$-like Finsler spaces. We also obtain the transformation of the T-tensor under this change and study some interesting special cases. We then impose a certain condition on the generalized $β$-conformal change, which we call the b-condition, and investigate the geometric consequences …
We show how to compute tensor derivatives and curvature tensors using affine connections. This allows for all computations to be obtained without using coordinate systems, in a way that parallels the computations appearing in classical Riemannian Geometry. In particular, we obtain Bianchi identities for the curvature tensor of any anisotropic connection, we compare the curvature tensors of any two anisotropic connections, and we find a family of anisotropic connections which are well suited to study the geometry of Finsler metrics.
The aim of this article is to establish a Toponogov type triangle comparison theorem for Finsler manifolds, in the manner of radial curvature geometry. We consider the situation that the radial flag curvature is bounded below by the radial curvature function of a non-compact surface of revolution, the edge opposite to the base point is contained in a Berwald-like region, and that the Finsler metric is convex enough in the radial directions in that region.
