Geodesics on a certain step 2 sub-Riemannian manifold (Q1863964)

The author considers a sub-Riemannian structure on \(\mathbb R^3\) induced by the vector fields \[ Y_1=\frac {1}{\sqrt{1+|x|^2}}\left(\partial_{x_1}+2x_2\partial_t\right),\qquad Y_2=\frac {1}{\sqrt{1+|x|^2}}\left(\partial_{x_2}-2x_1\partial_t\right) \] and certain horizontal curves called normal geodesics which are characteristic curves for the induced Hamiltonian \[ H(x,\xi,\theta)= \frac 12\cdot\frac{1}{1+|x|^2}\left[(\xi_1 + 2x_2\theta)^2 + (\xi_2-2x_1\theta)^2\right]. \] The author proves that if \(\rho\) is large enough then there are no normal geodesics joining the origin with a point \((x,t)\), \(t\not = 0\), where \(\rho = |x|\). Moreover, when \(\rho\) is small enough and \(t>0\) an approximation of the number of normal geodesics is computed. If \(x=0\) and \(t>0\) then there are infinitely many normal geodesics of distinct length joining the origin with a point \((x,t)\).