A support theorem for the geodesic ray transform of symmetric tensor fields (Q2268309)

Consider a simple Riemannian manifold \(M\) with boundary and the geodesic ray transform of symmetric 2-tensor fields. Assume that the integral of such a field \(f\) along maximal geodesics vanishes on an appropriate open subset of the space of geodesics in \(M\). In the paper under review, it is shown that, if the metric in \(M\) is real-analytic, then there is a vector field \(v\) satisfying \(f=dv\) on the set of points lying on these geodesics, and, \(v=0\) on the intersection of this set with the boundary of \(M\). Using this result, a type of Helgason's support theorem for the geodesic ray transform is proven. The proofs involve analytic microlocal analysis and rely on the techniques introduced by P. Stefanov and G. Uhlmann in 2004--2008.