A generalization of Weyl's theorem on projectively related affine connections (Q1769822): Difference between revisions

In 1921 H. Weyl proved that two torsion-free covariant derivative operators \(D\) and \(\bar D\) on a manifold \(M\) have the same geodesics with possibly different parametrizations if and only if there is a one-form \(\alpha\) on \(M\) such that \(\bar D=D+\alpha \otimes \mathbf{1} +\mathbf{1} \otimes \alpha\), where \(\mathbf{1}\) is the identity (1,1) tensor on \(M\). By a well-known theorem [\textit{W. Ambrose, R.S. Palais} and \textit{I.M. Singer}, An. Acad. Brasil. Ci. 32, 163--178 (1960; Zbl 0097.37904)], torsion-free covariant derivative operators are generated by affine sprays, and vice versa. The authors extend Weyl's result to the more general class of non-affine (i.e. not necessarily affine) sprays, the appropriate covariant derivative operator now being the so-called Yano derivative (which no longer lives on the manifold \(M\), but in the pull-back bundle of the tangent bundle of \(M\) by its own projection).