Geometric dynamics (Q1579882)

The author calls ``geometric dynamics'' the fact that on a semi-Riemannian manifold \((M,g)\) the orbits of a vector field \(X\) are the solutions of a second-order differential equation \(\ddot{x} = \text{grad } f + F(\dot{x})\), where \(f = \frac{1}{2} g(X,X)\) and \(g(F(v),w) = d(g(X))(p)(v,w)\) for tangent vectors \(v,w\) at \(p \in M\). This dynamical system is conservative with the Hamiltonian being given by \(H(v) = \frac{1}{2} g(v,v) - f(p)\). Formulations of these facts are also given in the language of Lagrangian dynamics and Jacobi manifolds, and the theory is applied to electromagnetic dynamical systems.