A Riemannian approach to Randers geodesics

作者：Brody Dorje C^*; Gibbons Gary W; Meier David M

来源：Journal of Geometry and Physics, 2016, 106: 98-101.

DOI：10.1016/j.geomphys.2016.03.019

• Finsler geometry
• Zermelo navigation
• Randers metric
• Control theory

In certain circumstances tools of Riemannian geometry are sufficient to address questions arising in the more general Finslerian context. We show that one such instance presents itself in the characterisation of geodesics in Randers spaces of constant flag curvature. To achieve a simple, Riemannian derivation of this special family of curves, we exploit the connection between Rand'ers spaces and the Zermelo problem of time-optimal navigation in the presence of background fields. The characterisation of geodesics is then proven by generalising an intuitive argument developed recently for the solution of the quantum Zermelo problem.

• 出版日期2016-8