Comparison theorems in Finsler geometry and their applications (Q862371)

Comparison results in Riemannian geometry are useful in several important studies. The paper under review is devoted to generalizations of these tools to Finsler geometry. Namely, Hessian comparison, Laplacian comparison and volume comparison theorems are proved under appropriate curvature conditions. Two very interesting applications are obtained: McKean type theorems for the first eigenvalue of a Finsler manifold and a Milnor type result on the growth of the fundamental group.