On Riemann-Finsler geometry (Q5955867)

The article begins by mentioning the Chern connection for Finsler spaces, then goes on to discuss the Cartan tensor. The author uses the name Minkowski potential for the latter. The difference between Landsberg and Berwald metrics is reviewed. In the author's quote of Szabo's theorem, the condition of \(y\)-globality has been omitted, possibly for the sake of brevity. The reviewer emphasizes that such a condition is essential. The author discusses weak Landsberg spaces and references the Bao-Shen formula for the \(x\)-derivative of the volume of tangent indicatrices, together with the Bao-Chern work on a Gauss-Bonnet theorem for a large class of Finsler spaces. The utility of (the predecessor of) the flag curvature is next pointed out. The author mentions his characterisation of Landsberg and Berwald metrics in terms of certain \(L_2\) orthogonality criteria on the flag curvature tensor. Mo's characterisation of Finsler metrics with zero flag curvature, in terms of the horizontal distribution, has also been mentioned. Mo then quotes his characterisations of Finsler metrics of constant flag curvature 0 and 1, in terms of the Ricci curvature along the Hilbert form on the projective bundle; the reviewer does not fully understand this last result. Mo cites some earlier works of Bao-Lackey about the eigenforms of a canonical Laplace-Beltrami operator on the sphere bundle, as well as a Laplace-Beltrami operator on the base manifold which led to a Hodge theorem. Mo next discusses the applications of Finsler methods. He cites Cao's work on a specific Finsler metric in the (extended) theory of relativity. The article concludes with a list of five open problems. The first four are still open. They concern: the existence of Landsberg spaces that are not of Berwald type; Chern's conjecture that every differentiable manifold admits a Finsler-Einstein metric; the structure of the Gauss-Bonnet integrand for even-dimensional Landsberg spaces; and the relation between curvature and Pontryagin classes. The fifth one deals with the construction of examples of non-Riemannian Finsler metrics on the \(n\)-sphere. This has been solved in recent years by Bryant and Bao-Shen.