Isoperimetric inequalities and conjugate points on Lorentzian surfaces (Q1299933): Difference between revisions

The main result of this paper is as follows. Let \((M,g)\) be a general Lorentzian surface with curvature \(K \leq C\), where \(C\) is an arbitrary constant. Let \(\gamma_i : [0,r_i] \rightarrow M\), \(i=1,2\), be two timelike geodesic segments with \(\gamma_1(0) = \gamma_2(0) = p\), \(g(\gamma'_1(0),\gamma'_2(0)) < 0\) and \(\gamma_1((0,r_1)) \cap \gamma_2((0,r_2)) = \emptyset\). Let \(\Gamma : [a,b] \rightarrow M\) be a piecewise smooth spacelike curve segment with \(\Gamma(a) = \gamma_1(r_1)\) and \(\Gamma(b) = \gamma_2(r_2)\). Suppose that there exists a simply connected open set \( U \subset M\) containing \(\gamma_1\), \(\gamma_2\) and \(\Gamma\) so that \(\Gamma\) is achronal in \((U,g\mid_U)\). Then \(L^2(\Gamma) \leq 2 \varphi_0 A(D) + C A^2(D)\), where \(L(\Gamma)\) is the arc length of \(\Gamma\), \(A(D)\) is the area of region \(D\) enclosed by \(\gamma_1\), \(\gamma_2\) and \(\Gamma\), \(\varphi_0 = \varphi(\gamma_1,\gamma_2) > 0\) at \(p\). The equality holds only when \(D(\Gamma)\) is isometric to a geodesic sector of radius \(t_0 = d(p,\Gamma)\) and angle \(\varphi_0\) on a Lorentzian surface of constant curvature \(K \equiv C\). Moreover, applications to conjugate points and timelike diameter are given.