Some connectedness problems in positively curved Finsler manifolds (Q2518938)

Using the Morse theory in Finslerian setting the author proves : Theorem 1. Let \(M\) be an \(m\)- dimensional Finsler manifold of positive \(k\)- Ricci curvature, and let \(f= (f_1, f_2): N_1\times N_2 \mapsto M\times M,\) with \(f_j : N_j \mapsto M\) an isometric immersion of a compact manifold with asymptotic index \(\nu _{f_j}, j=1,2.\). Then the following properties are true (we denote \(\nu _f = \nu _{f_1}+ \nu _{f_2})\): (1) If \(\nu _f > m+k-1,\) then \(f^{-1}(\Delta)\neq \emptyset.\) (2) If \(\nu _f> m+k\) and \(M\) is simply connected, then \(f^{-1}(\Delta)\) is connected. (3) For \(i< \nu _f -m-k +1\) there is an exact sequence \[ \pi _i ( f^{-1}(\Delta)\longrightarrow \pi _1(N)\longrightarrow \pi _i (M) \longrightarrow \pi _{i-1}(f^{-1}(\Delta)). \] (4) For \(i< \nu_f-m-k+1\) there are natural isomorphisms \( \pi_i(N_1,f^{-1}(\Delta))\mapsto \pi_i(M,N_1)\) for \(i\leq \nu _f -m\) and a surjection for \(i = \nu _f -m+1.\) Here \(\pi _i(N_j, f^{-1}(\Delta))\) is understood as the \(i\)- th homotopy group of the composition map \(f^{-1}(\Delta)\mapsto N \mapsto N_j.\) Versions of these results for positive flag curvature have been obtained by the same author [\textit{I. R. Peter}, A connectedness principle in positively curved Finsler manifolds. Finsler geometry, Sapporo 2005. In memory of Makoto Matsumoto. Proceedings of the 40th Finsler symposium on Finsler geometry, Sapporo, Japan, September 6--10, 2005. Tokyo: Mathematical Society of Japan. Advanced Studies in Pure Mathematics 48, 111--124 (2007; Zbl 1144.53092)].