Path-lifting properties of the exponential map with applications to geodesics

Abstract: We revisit certain path-lifting and path-continuation properties of abstract maps as described in the work of F. Browder and R. Rheindboldt in 1950-1960s, and apply their elegant theory to exponential maps. We obtain thereby a number of novel results of existence and multiplicity of geodesics joining any two points of a connected affine manifold, as well as

i t c a u s a l

geodesics connecting any two causally related points on a Lorentzian manifold. These results include a generalization of the well-known Hadamard-Cartan theorem of Riemannian geometry to the affine manifold context, as well as a new version of the so-called Lorentzian Hadamard-Cartan theorem using weaker assumptions than global hyperbolicity and timelike 1-connectedness required in the extant version. We also include a general discription of

i t p s e u d o c o n v e x i t y

and

i t d i s p r i s o n m e n t

of broad classes of geodesics in terms of suitable restrictions of the exponential map. The latter description sheds further light on the the relation between pseudoconvexity and disprisonment of a given such class on the one hand, and geodesic connectedness by members of that class on the other.

Recommendations

Cites work

Cited in

(4)

This page was built for publication: Path-lifting properties of the exponential map with applications to geodesics

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q6044147)