Differential Geometry of Spray and Finsler Spaces

Differential Geometry of Spray and Finsler Spaces
Author: Zhongmin Shen
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 260
Release: 2013-03-14
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9401597278

In this book we study sprays and Finsler metrics. Roughly speaking, a spray on a manifold consists of compatible systems of second-order ordinary differential equations. A Finsler metric on a manifold is a family of norms in tangent spaces, which vary smoothly with the base point. Every Finsler metric determines a spray by its systems of geodesic equations. Thus, Finsler spaces can be viewed as special spray spaces. On the other hand, every Finsler metric defines a distance function by the length of minimial curves. Thus Finsler spaces can be viewed as regular metric spaces. Riemannian spaces are special regular metric spaces. In 1854, B. Riemann introduced the Riemann curvature for Riemannian spaces in his ground-breaking Habilitationsvortrag. Thereafter the geometry of these special regular metric spaces is named after him. Riemann also mentioned general regular metric spaces, but he thought that there were nothing new in the general case. In fact, it is technically much more difficult to deal with general regular metric spaces. For more than half century, there had been no essential progress in this direction until P. Finsler did his pioneering work in 1918. Finsler studied the variational problems of curves and surfaces in general regular metric spaces. Some difficult problems were solved by him. Since then, such regular metric spaces are called Finsler spaces. Finsler, however, did not go any further to introduce curvatures for regular metric spaces. He switched his research direction to set theory shortly after his graduation.

The Theory of Sprays and Finsler Spaces with Applications in Physics and Biology

The Theory of Sprays and Finsler Spaces with Applications in Physics and Biology
Author: P.L. Antonelli
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 324
Release: 2013-03-09
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9401581940

The present book has been written by two mathematicians and one physicist: a pure mathematician specializing in Finsler geometry (Makoto Matsumoto), one working in mathematical biology (Peter Antonelli), and a mathematical physicist specializing in information thermodynamics (Roman Ingarden). The main purpose of this book is to present the principles and methods of sprays (path spaces) and Finsler spaces together with examples of applications to physical and life sciences. It is our aim to write an introductory book on Finsler geometry and its applications at a fairly advanced level. It is intended especially for graduate students in pure mathemat ics, science and applied mathematics, but should be also of interest to those pure "Finslerists" who would like to see their subject applied. After more than 70 years of relatively slow development Finsler geometry is now a modern subject with a large body of theorems and techniques and has math ematical content comparable to any field of modern differential geometry. The time has come to say this in full voice, against those who have thought Finsler geometry, because of its computational complexity, is only of marginal interest and with prac tically no interesting applications. Contrary to these outdated fossilized opinions, we believe "the world is Finslerian" in a true sense and we will try to show this in our application in thermodynamics, optics, ecology, evolution and developmental biology. On the other hand, while the complexity of the subject has not disappeared, the modern bundle theoretic approach has increased greatly its understandability.

Geometry of Pseudo-Finsler Submanifolds

Geometry of Pseudo-Finsler Submanifolds
Author: Aurel Bejancu
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 252
Release: 2013-04-17
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9401594171

This book begins with a new approach to the geometry of pseudo-Finsler manifolds. It also discusses the geometry of pseudo-Finsler manifolds and presents a comparison between the induced and the intrinsic Finsler connections. The Cartan, Berwald, and Rund connections are all investigated. Included also is the study of totally geodesic and other special submanifolds such as curves, surfaces, and hypersurfaces. Audience: The book will be of interest to researchers working on pseudo-Finsler geometry in general, and on pseudo-Finsler submanifolds in particular.

Homogeneous Finsler Spaces

Homogeneous Finsler Spaces
Author: Shaoqiang Deng
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 250
Release: 2012-08-01
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 1461442443

Homogeneous Finsler Spaces is the first book to emphasize the relationship between Lie groups and Finsler geometry, and the first to show the validity in using Lie theory for the study of Finsler geometry problems. This book contains a series of new results obtained by the author and collaborators during the last decade. The topic of Finsler geometry has developed rapidly in recent years. One of the main reasons for its surge in development is its use in many scientific fields, such as general relativity, mathematical biology, and phycology (study of algae). This monograph introduces the most recent developments in the study of Lie groups and homogeneous Finsler spaces, leading the reader to directions for further development. The book contains many interesting results such as a Finslerian version of the Myers-Steenrod Theorem, the existence theorem for invariant non-Riemannian Finsler metrics on coset spaces, the Berwaldian characterization of globally symmetric Finsler spaces, the construction of examples of reversible non-Berwaldian Finsler spaces with vanishing S-curvature, and a classification of homogeneous Randers spaces with isotropic S-curvature and positive flag curvature. Readers with some background in Lie theory or differential geometry can quickly begin studying problems concerning Lie groups and Finsler geometry.​

An Introduction To Finsler Geometry

An Introduction To Finsler Geometry
Author: Xiaohuan Mo
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 130
Release: 2006-04-12
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9814478105

This introductory book uses the moving frame as a tool and develops Finsler geometry on the basis of the Chern connection and the projective sphere bundle. It systematically introduces three classes of geometrical invariants on Finsler manifolds and their intrinsic relations, analyzes local and global results from classic and modern Finsler geometry, and gives non-trivial examples of Finsler manifolds satisfying different curvature conditions.

Handbook of Finsler geometry. 2 (2003)

Handbook of Finsler geometry. 2 (2003)
Author: Peter L. Antonelli
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 746
Release: 2003
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9781402015564

There are several mathematical approaches to Finsler Geometry, all of which are contained and expounded in this comprehensive Handbook. The principal bundles pathway to state-of-the-art Finsler Theory is here provided by M. Matsumoto. His is a cornerstone for this set of essays, as are the articles of R. Miron (Lagrange Geometry) and J. Szilasi (Spray and Finsler Geometry). After studying either one of these, the reader will be able to understand the included survey articles on complex manifolds, holonomy, sprays and KCC-theory, symplectic structures, Legendre duality, Hodge theory and Gauss-Bonnet formulas. Finslerian diffusion theory is presented by its founders, P. Antonelli and T. Zastawniak. To help with calculations and conceptualizations, a CD-ROM containing the software package FINSLER, based on MAPLE, is included with the book.

Riemann-Finsler Geometry

Riemann-Finsler Geometry
Author: Shiing-Shen Chern
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 206
Release: 2005
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9812383573

Riemann-Finsler geometry is a subject that concerns manifolds with Finsler metrics, including Riemannian metrics. It has applications in many fields of the natural sciences. Curvature is the central concept in Riemann-Finsler geometry. This invaluable textbook presents detailed discussions on important curvatures such the Cartan torsion, the S-curvature, the Landsberg curvature and the Riemann curvature. It also deals with Finsler metrics with special curvature or geodesic properties, such as projectively flat Finsler metrics, Berwald metrics, Finsler metrics of scalar curvature or isotropic S-curvature, etc. Instructive examples are given in abundance, for further description of some important geometric concepts. The text includes the most recent results, although many of the problems discussed are classical. Graduate students and researchers in differential geometry.

Comparison Finsler Geometry

Comparison Finsler Geometry
Author: Shin-ichi Ohta
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 324
Release: 2021-10-09
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 3030806502

This monograph presents recent developments in comparison geometry and geometric analysis on Finsler manifolds. Generalizing the weighted Ricci curvature into the Finsler setting, the author systematically derives the fundamental geometric and analytic inequalities in the Finsler context. Relying only upon knowledge of differentiable manifolds, this treatment offers an accessible entry point to Finsler geometry for readers new to the area. Divided into three parts, the book begins by establishing the fundamentals of Finsler geometry, including Jacobi fields and curvature tensors, variation formulas for arc length, and some classical comparison theorems. Part II goes on to introduce the weighted Ricci curvature, nonlinear Laplacian, and nonlinear heat flow on Finsler manifolds. These tools allow the derivation of the Bochner–Weitzenböck formula and the corresponding Bochner inequality, gradient estimates, Bakry–Ledoux’s Gaussian isoperimetric inequality, and functional inequalities in the Finsler setting. Part III comprises advanced topics: a generalization of the classical Cheeger–Gromoll splitting theorem, the curvature-dimension condition, and the needle decomposition. Throughout, geometric descriptions illuminate the intuition behind the results, while exercises provide opportunities for active engagement. Comparison Finsler Geometry offers an ideal gateway to the study of Finsler manifolds for graduate students and researchers. Knowledge of differentiable manifold theory is assumed, along with the fundamentals of functional analysis. Familiarity with Riemannian geometry is not required, though readers with a background in the area will find their insights are readily transferrable.

Handbook of Finsler geometry. 1 (2003)

Handbook of Finsler geometry. 1 (2003)
Author: Peter L. Antonelli
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 760
Release: 2003
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9781402015557

There are several mathematical approaches to Finsler Geometry, all of which are contained and expounded in this comprehensive Handbook. The principal bundles pathway to state-of-the-art Finsler Theory is here provided by M. Matsumoto. His is a cornerstone for this set of essays, as are the articles of R. Miron (Lagrange Geometry) and J. Szilasi (Spray and Finsler Geometry). After studying either one of these, the reader will be able to understand the included survey articles on complex manifolds, holonomy, sprays and KCC-theory, symplectic structures, Legendre duality, Hodge theory and Gauss-Bonnet formulas. Finslerian diffusion theory is presented by its founders, P. Antonelli and T. Zastawniak. To help with calculations and conceptualizations, a CD-ROM containing the software package FINSLER, based on MAPLE, is included with the book.

The Geometry of Higher-Order Hamilton Spaces

The Geometry of Higher-Order Hamilton Spaces
Author: R. Miron
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 257
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Mathematics
ISBN: 9401000700

This book is the first to present an overview of higher-order Hamilton geometry with applications to higher-order Hamiltonian mechanics. It is a direct continuation of the book The Geometry of Hamilton and Lagrange Spaces, (Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001). It contains the general theory of higher order Hamilton spaces H(k)n, k>=1, semisprays, the canonical nonlinear connection, the N-linear metrical connection and their structure equations, and the Riemannian almost contact metrical model of these spaces. In addition, the volume also describes new developments such as variational principles for higher order Hamiltonians; Hamilton-Jacobi equations; higher order energies and law of conservation; Noether symmetries; Hamilton subspaces of order k and their fundamental equations. The duality, via Legendre transformation, between Hamilton spaces of order k and Lagrange spaces of the same order is pointed out. Also, the geometry of Cartan spaces of order k =1 is investigated in detail. This theory is useful in the construction of geometrical models in theoretical physics, mechanics, dynamical systems, optimal control, biology, economy etc.