On the extremal compatible linear connection of a generalized Berwald manifold

Generalized Berwald manifolds are Finsler manifolds admitting linear connections such that the parallel transports preserve the Finslerian length of tangent vectors (compatibility condition). It is known (Vincze in J AMAPN 21:199–204, 2005) that 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 (preserving the Finslerian length of tangent vectors) is uniquely determined by its torsion. If the torsion is zero then we have a classical Berwald manifold. Otherwise, the torsion is some strange data we need to express in terms of the intrinsic quantities of the Finsler manifold. The paper presents the idea of the extremal compatible linear connection of a generalized Berwald manifold by minimizing the pointwise length of its torsion tensor. It is uniquely determined because the number of the Lagrange multipliers is equal to the number of the equations for the compatibility of the linear connection with the Finslerian metric. Using the reference element method, the extremal compatible linear connection can be expressed in terms of the canonical data as well. It is an intrinsic algorithm to check the existence of compatible linear connections on a Finsler manifold because it is equivalent to the existence of the extremal compatible linear connection.

On geodesically reversible Finsler manifolds

A Finsler manifold is said to be geodesically reversible if the reversed curve of any geodesic remains a geometrical geodesic. Well-known examples of geodesically reversible Finsler metrics are Randers metrics with closed [Formula: see text]-forms. Another family of well-known examples are projectively flat Finsler metrics on the [Formula: see text]-sphere that have constant positive curvature. In this paper, we prove some geometrical and dynamical characterizations of geodesically reversible Finsler metrics, and we prove several rigidity results about a family of the so-called Randers-type Finsler metrics. One of our results is as follows: let [Formula: see text] be a Riemannian–Finsler metric on a closed surface [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] be a small antisymmetric potential on [Formula: see text] that is a natural generalization of [Formula: see text]-form (see Sec. 1). If the Randers-type Finsler metric [Formula: see text] is geodesically reversible, and the geodesic flow of [Formula: see text] is topologically transitive, then we prove that [Formula: see text] must be a closed [Formula: see text]-form. We also prove that this rigidity result is not true for the family of projectively flat Finsler metrics on the [Formula: see text]-sphere of constant positive curvature.

Periodic solutions of Hilbert’s fourth problem

It is shown that a possibly irreversible [Formula: see text] Finsler metric on the torus, or on any other compact Euclidean space form, whose geodesics are straight lines is the sum of a flat metric and a closed [Formula: see text]-form. This is used to prove that if [Formula: see text] is a compact Riemannian symmetric space of rank greater than one and [Formula: see text] is a reversible [Formula: see text] Finsler metric on [Formula: see text] whose unparametrized geodesics coincide with those of [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] is a Finsler symmetric space.

Finsler differential geometry in continuum mechanics: Fundamental concepts, history, and renewed application to ferromagnetic solids

Finsler differential geometry enables enriched mathematical and physical descriptions of the mechanics of materials with microstructure. The first propositions for Finsler geometry in solid mechanics emerged some six decades ago. Ideas set forth in these early works are reviewed, along with subsequent literature culminating in contemporary theories of Finsler-geometric continuum mechanics. Concepts unique to generalized Finsler spaces, in the context of continuum mechanical applications, are highlighted. Capabilities afforded by physical models in generalized Finsler spaces are contrasted with those of standard approaches in affinely connected spaces. Theory and several examples of reduced dimensionality are reported for boundary value problems of fracture and phase transformations, showing how simultaneously novel, physical, and pragmatic model predictions can be obtained from Finsler-type continuum field theory. Lastly, the modern theory is newly applied to describe nonlinear elastic ferromagnetic solids in the magnetically saturated state. A variational approach is used to derive Euler–Lagrange equations for macroscopic and microscopic, i.e., respective electromechanical and electronic continuum, equilibrium states. For a representative generalized Finsler metric depending on material symmetry, augmented conservation laws of macroscopic momentum and electronic spin angular momentum naturally emerge.

Inverse problem of left invariant sprays on Lie groups

In this paper, we discuss inverse problem in spray geometry. We find infinitely many sprays with non-diagonalizable Riemann curvature on a Lie group, these sprays are not induced by Finsler metrics. We also study left invariant sprays with non-vanishing spray vectors on Lie groups. We prove that if such a spray [Formula: see text] on a Lie group [Formula: see text] satisfies that [Formula: see text] is commutative or [Formula: see text] is projective, then [Formula: see text] is not induced by any (not necessary positive definite) left invariant Finsler metric. Finally, we construct an abundance of the left invariant sprays on Lie groups which satisfy the conditions in above result.

Geodesic orbit Finsler spaces with K ≥ 0 and the (FP) condition

We study the interaction between the g.o. property and certain flag curvature conditions. A Finsler manifold is called g.o. if each constant speed geodesic is the orbit of a one-parameter subgroup. Besides the non-negatively curved condition, we also consider the condition (FP) for the flag curvature, i.e. in any flag we find a flag pole such that the flag curvature is positive. By our main theorem, if a g.o. Finsler space (M, F) has non-negative flag curvature and satisfies (FP), then M is compact. If M = G/H where G has a compact Lie algebra, then the rank inequality rk 𝔤 ≤ rk 𝔥+1 holds. As an application,we prove that any even-dimensional g.o. Finsler space which has non-negative flag curvature and satisfies (FP) is a smooth coset space admitting a positively curved homogeneous Riemannian or Finsler metric.

On a family of torsional creep problems in Finsler metrics

The asymptotic behavior of solutions to a family of Dirichlet boundary value problems, involving differential operators in divergence form, on a domain equipped with a Finsler metric is investigated. Solutions are shown to converge uniformly to the distance function to the boundary of the domain, which takes into account the Finsler norm involved in the equation. This implies that a well-known result in the analysis of problems modeling torsional creep continues to hold in this more general setting.

Existence results for closed Finsler geodesics via spherical complexities

We apply topological methods and a Lusternik-Schnirelmann-type approach to prove existence results for closed geodesics of Finsler metrics on spheres and projective spaces. The main tool in the proofs are spherical complexities, which have been introduced in earlier work of the author. Using them, we show how pinching conditions and inequalities between a Finsler metric and a globally symmetric metric yield the existence of multiple closed geodesics as well as upper bounds on their lengths.