Geodesics on strong Kropina manifolds (Q1695713)

A \textit{Kropina metric} on a manifold \(M\) is an expression \(F(v)=g(v,v)/\alpha(v)\) where \(g\) is a Riemannian metric, \(\alpha\) a 1-form on \(M\), and the expression is defined for all \(v\in TM\) for which \(\alpha(v)>0\). A path \(x:[a,b]\to M\) for which \(x^*\alpha>0\) has an associated Kropina length \(\int_a^b F(\dot{x}) \, dt\). The \(F\)-pseudodistance between points of \(M\) is the infimum Kropina length of paths from one point to the other, \(\infty\) if there is no such path. This paper concerns the theory of Kropina metrics, following in detail the analogies with Riemannian and Finsler geometries. The paper is principally concerned with the \textit{strong Kropina metrics}, where \(\alpha\) is the 1-form dual to a unit-length Killing vector field of \(g\). Such metrics arise naturally when one wishes to solve the Zermelo navigation problem for the Riemannian metric \(g\) in the presence of a wind described by the Killing vector field. The paper revisits Finsler geometry, proving analogues of the elementary theorems of Finsler geometry in this context, or providing counterexamples.