The slope-of-a-mountain problem in a cross gravitational wind (Q6171626)

This paper deals with the Matsumoto slope-of-a-mountain problem in a cross gravitational wind. The authors present a general model of the slope as a Riemannian manifold, exploiting the influences of both transverse and longitudinal components of the gravitational wind on time-optimal paths. In contrast to the original Matsumoto's exposition, the cross-gravity additive is taken into account in the equations of motion, while the along-gravity effect is entirely compensated. The purely geometric solutions to the problem are investigated by means of Finsler geometry. This study explores the properties of the new cross-slope metric obtained in this work, which belongs to the class of general \((\alpha,\beta)\)-metrics, emphasizing the strong convexity conditions as well as the corresponding time geodesics. The developed theory is illustrated via some relevant examples, while explaining and comparing the deformations of the Finslerian indicatrices and the behavior of time-minimal paths on the mountain slopes with different approaches to the gravity effect. The paper is a very good attempt and one of the most important contributions towards the application and generalization of the idea given by \textit{M. Matsumoto} [J. Math. Kyoto Univ. 29, No. 1, 17--25 (1989; Zbl 0677.53028)].