Topology of complete Finsler manifolds admitting convex functions (Q2516663)

This article deals with the topology of complete Finsler manifolds admitting convex functions. Throughout this work the authors consider a Finsler manifold which is geodesically complete with respect to forward geodesics. The authors have given Finsler extensions to most of the Riemannian results in [\textit{R. E. Greene} and \textit{K. Shiohama}, Invent. Math. 63, 129--157 (1981; Zbl 0468.53033)]. The main findings of this work are contained in the following results. Result 1: Let \(\varphi :(M,F)\in \mathbb R\) be a convex function all of whose level sets \(M_{a}^{a}(\varphi):= \varphi^{-1}(\{a\})\), \(G \geq \inf_M \varphi\), are compact. 1. If \(\inf_{M}\varphi\) is not attained, then there exists a homeomorphism \(H:M_{a}^{a}(\varphi)\times (\inf_{M}\varphi,\infty)\to M\), for an arbitrary fixed number \(a\in(\inf_{M}\varphi,\infty)\), such that \(\varphi(H(y,t))=t,\forall y\in M_{a}^{a}(\varphi),\forall t\in(\inf_{M}\varphi,\infty)\). 2. If \(\lambda:= \inf_{M}\varphi\) is attained, then \(M\) is homeomorphic to the normal bundle over \(M_{\lambda}^{\lambda}(\varphi)\) in \(M\). Result 2: Assume the convex function \(\varphi:(M,F)\to \mathbb R\) has a disconnected level set \(M_{c}^{c}(\varphi)\) for some \(c\in\varphi(M)\), then: 1. The infimum \(\inf_{M}\varphi\) is attained. 2. If \(\lambda:=\inf_{M}\varphi\), then \(M_{\lambda}^{\lambda}(\varphi)\) is a totally geodesic smooth hypersurface which is totally convex without boundary. 3. The normal bundle of \(M_{\lambda}^{\lambda}(\varphi)\) in \(M\) is trivial. 4. If \(b\succ \lambda\), then the boundary of the b-sublevel set \(M^{b}(\varphi):={x\in M|\varphi(x)\leq b}\) has exactly two components. Result 3: Let \(\varphi:(M,F)\to \mathbb R\) be a convex function. 1. Assume that \(\varphi\) admits a disconnected level. (i) If all the level sets of \(\varphi\) are compact, then \(M\) has two ends. (ii) If all the level sets of \(\varphi\) are noncompact, then \(M\) has one end. (iii) If both compact and noncompact levels of \(\varphi\) exist simultaneously, then \(M\) has at least three ends. 2. Assume that all the levels of \(\varphi\) are connected and compact. (i) If \(\inf_{M}\varphi\) is attained, then \(M\) has one end. (ii) If \(\inf_{M}\varphi\) is not attained, then \(M\) has two ends. 3. If all levels are connected and noncompact, then \(M\) has one end. 4. Assume that all the levels of \(\varphi\) are connected and that \(\varphi\) admits both compact and noncompact levels simultaneously. Then : (i) If \(\inf_{M}\varphi\) is not attained, then \(M\) has two ends. (ii) If \(\inf_{M}\varphi\) is attained, then \(M\) has at least two ends. 5. Finally, if \(M\) has two ends, then all the levels of \(\varphi\) are compact.