Naturally reductive homogeneous Finsler spaces (Q5925487)

Given a Lie group \(G\) and a closed connected subgroup \(H\subset G\), invariant Finsler metrics on the homogeneous space \(G/H\) are in 1-1-correspondence with Minkowski norms \(L:\mathfrak{g}/\mathfrak{h}\to{\mathbb R}^+\) invariant under the adjoint action of \(H\) on \(\mathfrak{g}/\mathfrak{h}\), where \(\mathfrak{g}\) and \(\mathfrak{h}\) are the Lie-algebras of \(G\) and \(H\), respectively. If in addition \(G/H\) is reductive with a complementary \(\text{Ad}_H\) invariant subspace \(\mathfrak{m}\subset\mathfrak{g}\), i.\,e., \(\mathfrak{g}=\mathfrak{h}\oplus\mathfrak{m}\), then \(F\) can be given as an invariant Minkowski norm on \(\mathfrak{m}\). Naturally reductive Finsler spaces \((G/H,F)\) are defined as reductive Finsler spaces such that \(G/H\) is also a natural reductive Riemannian space with metric \(g\) and the connections of \(g\) and \(F\) coincide. An other characterization of such spaces is given by the condition \[ g_Y\left([X,U]_{\mathfrak{m}},V\right)+g_Y\left(U,[X,V]_{\mathfrak{m}}\right)+ 2\,C_Y\left([X,Y]_{\mathfrak{m}},U,V\right)= 0,\quad X,Y,U,V\in\mathfrak{m}, \quad Y\neq0, \] where \(g_Y\) and \(C_Y\) are the so-called fundamental form and the Cartan tensor of \(F\). They are tensors composed from the second, resp., third order derivatives of \(F\) at \(Y\). A criterion for a homogeneous reductive Finsler space \(=G/H\) to be naturally reductive is given, namely, each geodesic emanating from \(x=e\,H\) has the form \(\gamma(t)=\exp tX\cdot x\) for some \(X\in\mathfrak{m}\). In contrast to Riemannian geometry, where a great variety of homogeneous spaces is available, it is difficult to exhibit non-Riemannian Finsler spaces and the aim of this paper is to construct explicit examples. A great part of the paper is concerned with the case \(H=\{e\}\), i.\,e., with non-Riemannian Finsler metrics \((G,F)\), on Lie groups. If \(F\) is bi-invariant it is shown that \((G,F)\) must be a globally affine symmetric Berwald space. As an example, a 2-parameter family of left invariant non-Riemannian Finsler metrics on \(G\times G\), where \(G=\text{SU}(2,\mathbb{C})\), is constructed. In the case \(G=N\) of connected and simply connected nilmanifolds, a complete description of naturally reductive Finsler structures on \(N\) and a method to construct them is given. Finally, a classification of connected and simply connected naturally reductive Finsler spaces of dimension 3 and 4 is obtained.