Closed geodesics on Finsler spheres (Q453742)

Since Katok found examples of Finsler structures on \(S^2\) with only \(2\) distinct closed geodesics in 1973, the classical problem of counting geometrically distinct closed geodesics on Riemannian manifolds gained a new frontier; namely, that of considering the same problem on Finsler manifolds. Several interesting results regarding this problem were achieved in the past decades, and the paper under review contributes to the existing literature. Namely, the two main results of the paper regard existence of closed geodesics on Finsler spheres, under the assumptions that the Finsler structure is generic (all prime closed geodesics are assumed to be non-degenerate) and that the flag curvature and reversibility of the Finsler structure satisfy a certain inequality. The techniques used are inspired by earlier work of Long and Rademacher, studying the Morse theory of closed geodesics as critical points of the energy functional. Another interesting reference in this context that is omitted in the paper is the work of \textit{F. Mercuri} [Math. Z. 156, 231-245 (1977; Zbl 0355.58002); Math. Z. 156, 231--245 (1977; Zbl 0344.58013); Atti Accad. Naz. Lincei, VIII. Ser., Rend., Cl. Sci. Fis. Mat. Nat. 60, 111--118 (1976; Zbl 0362.53052)].