Geodesic webs on a two-dimensional manifold and Euler equations (Q966457)

The following statements are proved: (1) the foliation defined by level sets of a function is totally geodesic in the torsion free connection iff the function satisfies the so-called flex equation; (2) any planar 4-web defines a unique projective structure in such a way that the leaves of the web foliations are geodesics of this projective structure. The Euler equation is a factorization of a flex equation with respect to the group of gauge symmetries. The conditions for the mentioned projective structure to contain an affine symmetric connection and conditions for a planar 4-web to be equivalent to a geodesic 4-web on an affine symmetric surface are found. Reviewer's remark: In the sense of W. Blaschke, a web function is a function connecting parameters of web leaves through a point of the web domain. The authors use the term web function in a different form.