On some projectively flat polynomial \((\alpha \beta )\)-metrics (Q2644625)

Let \(\alpha\) be a Riemannian metric and \(\beta\) some \(1\)-form on a smooth manifold \(M\). An \((\alpha,\beta)\)-metric is a Finsler metric of the type \(F=\alpha \phi(\beta/\alpha)\), where \(\phi\) is a positive smooth function satisfying some additional conditions. The paper under review studies the special case where \(\phi\) is a polynomial \[ \phi(s)=1+a_1s+a_2s^2+a_4s^4. \] The conditions under which such a Finsler metric is locally projectively flat are derived using Hamels criterion. The main theorem states that there are five different cases of locally projectively flat metrics of the above type, each satisfying some technical condition on the norm of \(\beta\) with respect to \(\alpha\).