Killing tensors on tori (Q2628372)

In physics, Killing tensors were deeply studied, since they define first integrals of the equation of motion. In particular, first integrals of the geodesic flow on the 2-dimensional torus were studied for example in [\textit{A. V. Bolsinov} et al., Sb. Math. 189, No. 10, 1441--1466 (1998; Zbl 0917.58031); translation from Mat. Sb. 189, No. 10, 5--32 (1998)], where it was shown that every metric \(\widetilde{g}\) on \(T^2\) with linear first integrals is conformal to the flat metric \(g = dx^2 + dy^2\). More exactly, \(\widetilde{g} = e^{2f (ax+by)}g\), where \(f\) is a periodic real function and \(a, b\) are real constants. The authors proved in their previous work [J. Geom. Phys. 106, 383--400 (2016; Zbl 1342.53066)], that if a vector field \(\xi\) is Killing with respect to \(\widetilde{g}\), then \(\xi\) is conformal Killing with respect to the flat metric \(g\). Thus, \(\xi\) can be written as \(\xi = b \frac{\partial}{\partial x} - a \frac{\partial}{\partial y}\) and since \(\xi\) preserves both metrics, it follows that \(\xi(f) = 0\), i.e., \(f(x,y)\) is a function of \(ax + by\). Using the same formalism, they generalize here the above-mentioned result to the \(n\)-dimensional torus, endowed with a metric \(\widetilde{g} = e^{2f(x_n)}(dx_1^2+\dots+dx_n^2)\), where \(f:\mathbb{R}\rightarrow \mathbb{R}\) is a non-constant \(2\pi\)-periodic function. They prove that a tensor \(K\) which is Killing with respect to \(\widetilde{g}\) is a polynomial in the Killing vector fields \(\frac{\partial}{\partial x^1},\dots,\frac{\partial}{\partial x^{n-1}}\) and in the metric tensor \(\widetilde{g}\).