Periodic controls in step 2 strictly convex sub-Finsler problems (Q2176440)

Control-linear left-invariant time-optimal control problems on step-2 Carnot groups are considered. The set of control parameters is assumed to be convex, compact and contain the origin in its interior. All Casimirs linear in momenta on the dual of the corresponding Lie algebra are described. For the special case where the number of generators equals 3, the symplectic foliation on the dual of the Lie algebra is described. It is shown that for step-2 Carnot algebras with 3 generators, if strict convexity of the set of control parameters is assumed, all normal extremal controls are continuous and constant or periodic. The author recalls from the literature that the latter result cannot be generalized to step-2 Carnot algebras with 4 generators or to step-3 Carnot algebras with 2 generators.