Foliated vector bundles and Riemannian foliations (Q533988)

The authors consider a \(k\)-dimensional foliation \(\mathcal F\) on an \(n\)-dimensional manifold \(M\), its normal bundle denoted by \( \nu F\) and, for each \(r \geq 1\), the lifted foliation \( \mathcal F^{r}\) on the bundle of \(r\)-transverse jets. They show that \(\mathcal F\) is Riemannian iff \( \mathcal F^{r}\) is Riemannian for some \(r\). Moreover, they provide two other characterizations of foliations which are Riemannian, based on the following results which are of interest on their own: First, any invariant metric \(g\) on \( \nu F\) gives a canonical vertically exact invariant Riemannian metric on \( \nu F ^{r}\) for each \(r \geq 1\). Next, let \(p_{1}:E_{1} \rightarrow M\) and \(p_{2}:E_{2} \rightarrow M\) be foliated vector bundles over a foliated manifold \((M, \mathcal F)\) and \(q_{2}:E_{2\star} \rightarrow M\) be the slashed bundle. If there exist a positively admissible Lagrangian \(L:E_{2} \rightarrow \mathbb R\) and a metric \(b\) on the pull-back bundle \(q_{2}^{\star}E_{1} \rightarrow E_{2\star}\) foliated with respect to \(\mathcal F_{E_{2\star}}\), then there exists a foliated metric on \(E_{1}\) with respect to \(\mathcal F\). An open question related to this subject is also presented.