On the existence of closed geodesics on 2-orbifolds (Q1703658)

Existence of closed geodesics on Riemannian manifolds and on Riemannian orbifolds have long been a research subject of interest. The present article deals with the existence of closed geodesics for compact Riemannian \(2\)-orbifolds. Combining ideas of \textit{V. Bangert} [Int. J. Math. 4, No. 1, 1--10 (1993; Zbl 0791.53048)] and \textit{J. Franks} [Invent. Math. 108, No. 2, 403--418 (1992; Zbl 0766.53037)] with the orbifold loop space techniques [\textit{K. Guruprasad} and \textit{A. Haefliger}, Topology 45, No. 3, 611--641 (2006; Zbl 1099.53035)] the article establishes the following result: Theorem. On every compact Riemannian \(2\)-orbifold there exist infinitely many geometrically distinct closed geodesics of positive length. This theorem generalises results known previously only for symmetric spindle orbifolds. Besides the main theorem and its proof, the article contains a discussion on the existence of closed geodesics in the regular part of a \(2\)-orbifold (which is up to this point still open in the general case).