Some properties of associated pseudoconnections (Q1180752)

Let \(\xi\) and \(\tilde \xi\) be two vector bundles with common base \(B\), and denote by \(\tau_ B\) the tangent bundle of \(B\). A pseudoconnection in \(\xi\) with respect to \(\tilde\xi\) is a pair \((\nabla,A)\) where \(A\) belongs to \(\text{Hom}(\tilde\xi,\tau_ B)\) and \(\nabla\) is a map from \(\text{Sec}(\tilde\xi)\times \text{Sec}(\xi)\) into \(\text{Sec}(\xi)\) satisfying the usual linearity conditions and the relation: \(\nabla_ \sigma f\eta=(A\circ\sigma)(f)\eta+f\nabla_ \sigma\eta\) for any \(f\in{\mathcal C}^ \infty(B)\) and \(\sigma\), \(\eta\) sections of \(\tilde\xi\) and \(\xi\) respectively. Such a pseudoconnection is called associated, if there exists a linear connection \(\nabla^ L\) such that \(\nabla_ \sigma\eta=\nabla^ L_{A\circ\sigma}\eta\). When \(\tilde\xi=\xi=\tau_ B\), such pseudoconnections have been studied by many authors. The author gives a necessary and sufficient condition for \((\nabla,A)\) with \(\text{rank}(A)=\) constant to be associated and he studies geodesics of associated pseudoconnections. Finally, he gives an application to the theory of Finsler connections proving, that the Matsumoto's \(h\)- and \(v\)- paths are just geodesics of associated pseudoconnections.