The projective symplectic geometry of higher order variational problems: minimality conditions (Q2358458)

In the present paper, the authors develop a projective symplectic viewpoint for higher order one-parameter variational problems, that is, functionals associated to Lagrangians depending on higher order derivatives of curves, using a purely variational approach: directly from the Hessian of the given functional and its associated Euler-Lagrange equation, without detouring through non-holonomic mechanics. The authors use, extend and interpret in the symplectic-projective setting the line of classical identities of Cimino, Picone, Eastham, Easwaran and many others, which allow the writing of higher order Lagrangians as a perfect square plus a total differential term. In the higher dimensional case, the authors extend to arbitrary dimensions the work of \textit{W. A. Coppel} [Disconjugacy. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer-Verlag (1971; Zbl 0224.34003)] by using the Legendre transformation to produce a Hamiltonian version. Next, they obtain a version of Easwaran's identity for the higher dimensional case. They prove that for higher order variational problems there exists a curve of isotropic subspaces whose successive prolongations determine the conjugacy, positive definiteness of the Hessian and, therefore, the local minimality of the extremals. The main tool for determining minimality and conjugacy is the self-intersection properties of a (prolonged) curve of Lagrangian subspaces (the Jacobi curve). In the case of higher order variational problems, such a curve is always degenerate, even for positive definite Lagrangians. The authors obtain some information about the degree of degeneracy of the Jacobi curve for higher-order problems. The present paper focuses on projectivization of the sufficient conditions for minimality.