Let (M, g) be a Riemannian manifold and T1 M its unit tangent sphere bundle. Minimality and harmonicity of unit vector fields have been extensively studied by considering on T1M the Sasaki metric [Formula: see text]. This metric, and other well-known Riemannian metrics on T1 M, are particular examples of Riemannian natural metrics. In this paper we equip T1 M with a Riemannian natural metric [Formula: see text] and in particular with a natural contact metric structure. Then, we study the minimality for Reeb vector fields of contact metric manifolds and of quasi-umbilical hypersurfaces of a Kähler manifold. Several explicit examples are given. In particular, the Reeb vector field ξ of a K-contact manifold is minimal for any [Formula: see text] that belongs to a family depending on two parameters of metrics of the Kaluza–Klein type. Next, we show that the Reeb vector field ξ of a K-contact manifold defines a harmonic map [Formula: see text] for any Riemannian natural metric [Formula: see text]. Besides this, if the Reeb vector ξ of an almost contact metric manifold is a CR map then the induced almost CR structure on M is strictly pseudoconvex and ξ is a pseudo-Hermitian map; if in addition ξ is geodesic then [Formula: see text] is a harmonic map. Moreover, the Reeb vector field ξ of a contact metric manifold is a CR map iff ξ is Killing and [Formula: see text] is a special metric of the Kaluza–Klein type. Finally, in the final section, we obtain that there is a family of strictly pseudoconvex CR structures on T1S2n+1 depending on one parameter, for which a Hopf vector field ξ determines a pseudo-harmonic map (in the sense of Barletta–Dragomir–Urakawa [8]) from S2n+1 to T1S2n+1.
Unit vector fields of minimum energy on quotients of spheres and stability of the Reeb vector field
