Torsion-free path geometries and integrable second order ODE systems (Q5941740): Difference between revisions

The paper deals with a distinguished class of second order ordinary differential equations \[ y^i{}''(x) = f^i (x, y^j(x), y^j{}'(x)), \qquad 1 \leq i,j \leq n . \] The author proves that with any system of the above class is associated a collection of curvature functions, explicitly computable from the differential equations by differentiation and linear algebra. In the generic case, these functions can be combined to give enough first integrals to completely integrate the system. The author provides a thorough study of the geometric structures involved in this class of ODE as well.