Three-dimensional semi-symmetric homogeneous Lorentzian manifolds

Because of the different possible forms (Segre types) of the Ricci operator, semi-symmetry assumption for the curvature of a Lorentzian manifold turns out to have very different consequences with respect to the Riemannian case. In fact, a semi-symmetric homogeneous Riemannian manifold is necessarily symmetric, while we find some three-dimensional homogeneous Lorentzian manifolds which are semi-symmetric but not symmetric. The complete classification of three-dimensional semi-symmetric homogeneous Lorentzian manifolds is obtained.     

Comparison theory in Lorentzian and Riemannian geometry

A survey is given of selected aspects of comparison theory for Lorentzian and Riemannian manifolds, in which both Jacobi equation and Riccati equation techniques have been employed. Specifically, the existence of conjugate points on a complete geodesic in the presence of positive Ricci curvature and the topic of volume comparison are treated.     

Comparison theory in Lorentzian and Riemannian geometry

A survey is given of selected aspects of comparison theory for Lorentzian and Riemannian manifolds, in which both Jacobi equation and Riccati equation techniques have been employed. Specifically, the existence of conjugate points on a complete geodesic in the presence of positive Ricci curvature and the topic of volume comparison are treated.     

On causality and closed geodesics of compact Lorentzian manifolds and static spacetimes

Some results related to the causality of compact Lorentzian manifolds are proven: (1) any compact Lorentzian manifold which admits a timelike conformal vector field is totally vicious, and (2) a compact Lorentzian manifold covered regularly by a globally hyperbolic spacetime admits a timelike closed geodesic, if some natural topological assumptions (fulfilled, for example, if one of the conjugacy classes of deck transformations containing a closed timelike curve is finite) hold. As a consequence, any compact Lorentzian manifold conformal to a static spacetime is geodesically connected by causal geodesics, and admits a timelike closed geodesic.     

Semi-invariant Riemannian maps from almost Hermitian manifolds

We construct Gauss–Weingarten-like formulas and define O’Neill’s tensors for Riemannian maps between Riemannian manifolds. By using these new formulas, we obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for Riemannian maps to be totally geodesic. Then we introduce semi-invariant Riemannian maps from almost Hermitian manifolds to Riemannian manifolds, give examples and investigate the geometry of leaves of the distributions defined by such maps. We also obtain necessary and sufficient conditions for semi-invariant maps to be totally geodesic and find decomposition theorems for the total manifold. Finally, we give a classification result for semi-invariant Riemannian maps with totally umbilical fibers.     

On the full holonomy group of Lorentzian manifolds

The classification of restricted holonomy groups of \(n\) -dimensional Lorentzian manifolds was obtained about ten years ago. However, up to now, not much is known about the structure of the full holonomy group. In this paper we study the full holonomy group of Lorentzian manifolds with a parallel null line bundle. Based on the classification of the restricted holonomy groups of such manifolds, we prove several structure results about the full holonomy. We establish a construction method for manifolds with disconnected holonomy starting from a Riemannian manifold and a properly discontinuous group of isometries. This leads to a variety of examples, most of them being quotients of pp-waves with disconnected holonomy, including a non-flat Lorentzian manifold with infinitely generated holonomy group. Furthermore, we classify the full holonomy groups of solvable Lorentzian symmetric spaces and of Lorentzian manifolds with a parallel null spinor. Finally, we construct examples of globally hyperbolic manifolds with complete spacelike Cauchy hypersurfaces, disconnected full holonomy and a parallel spinor.     

Closed geodesics and volume growth of open manifolds with sectional curvature bounded from below

In this paper, the relationship between the existence of closed geodesics and the volume growth of complete noncompact Riemannian manifolds is studied. First the authors prove a diffeomorphic result of such an n-m2nifold with nonnegative sectional curvature, which improves Marenich-Toponogov＇s theorem. As an application, a rigidity theorem is obtained for nonnegatively curved open manifold which contains a clesed geodesic. Next the authors prove a theorem about the nonexistence of closed geodesics for Riemannian manifolds with sectional curvature bounded from below by a negative constant.     

The existence of light‐like homogeneous geodesics in homogeneous Lorentzian manifolds

In previous papers, a fundamental affine method for studying homogeneous geodesics was developed. Using this method and elementary differential topology it was proved that any homogeneous affine manifold and in particular any homogeneous pseudo‐Riemannian manifold admits a homogeneous geodesic through arbitrary point. In the present paper this affine method is refined and adapted to the pseudo‐Riemannian case. Using this method and elementary topology it is proved that any homogeneous Lorentzian manifold of even dimension admits a light‐like homogeneous geodesic. The method is illustrated in detail with an example of the Lie group of dimension 3 with an invariant metric, which does not admit any light‐like homogeneous geodesic.     

Totally geodesic maps into metric spaces

We prove that a totally geodesic map between a Riemannian manifold and a metric space can be represented as the composite of a totally geodesic map from a Riemannian manifold to a Finslerian manifold and a locally isometric embedding between metric spaces. As a corollary, we obtain the homotheticity of a totally geodesic map from an irreducible Riemannian manifold to an Alexandrov space of curvature bounded above. This is a generalization of the case between Riemannian manifolds. Mathematics Subject Classification (2000): 53C20, 53C22, 53C24 Received: 14 March 2002; in final form: 6 May 2002 / / Published online: 24 February 2003     

Ricci curvature,radial curvature and large volume growth

In this paper, we study complete noncompact Riemannian manifolds with Ricci curvature bounded from below. When the Ricci curvature is nonnegative, we show that this kind of manifolds are diffeomorphic to a Euclidean space, by assuming an upper bound on the radial curvature and a volume growth condition of their geodesic balls. When the Ricci curvature only has a lower bound, we also prove that such a manifold is diffeomorphic to a Euclidean space if the radial curvature is bounded from below. Moreover, by assuming different conditions and applying different methods, we shall prove more results on Riemannian manifolds with large volume growth.     

Anti-invariant Riemannian submersions from almost Hermitian manifolds

We introduce anti-invariant Riemannian submersions from almost Hermitian manifolds onto Riemannian manifolds. We give an example, investigate the geometry of foliations which are arisen from the definition of a Riemannian submersion and check the harmonicity of such submersions. We also find necessary and sufficient conditions for a Langrangian Riemannian submersion, a special anti-invariant Riemannian submersion, to be totally geodesic. Moreover, we obtain decomposition theorems for the total manifold of such submersions.     

Strong Geodesic α-Preinvexity and Invariant α-Monotonicity on Riemannian Manifolds

In this article, we introduce and study a new class of generalized convex functions on Riemannian manifold, called strongly α-invex and strongly geodesic α-preinvex functions. Several kinds of invariant α-monotonicities on Riemannian manifold are introduced. We establish the relationships among the strong α-invexity, strong geodesic α-preinvexity and invariant α-monotonicities under suitable conditions. Various types of α-invexities for functions on Riemannian manifolds are introduced and relations among them are established.     

Geodesic vector fields and Eikonal equation on a Riemannian manifold

In this paper, we study the impact of geodesic vector fields (vector fields whose trajectories are geodesics) on the geometry of a Riemannian manifold. Since, Killing vector fields of constant lengths on a Riemannian manifold are geodesic vector fields, leads to the question of finding sufficient conditions for a geodesic vector field to be Killing. In this paper, we show that a lower bound on the Ricci curvature of the Riemannian manifold in the direction of geodesic vector field gives a sufficient condition for the geodesic vector field to be Killing. Also, we use a geodesic vector field on a 3-dimensional complete simply connected Riemannian manifold to find sufficient conditions to be isometric to a 3-sphere. We find a characterization of an Einstein manifold using a Killing vector field. Finally, it has been observed that a major source of geodesic vector fields is provided by solutions of Eikonal equations on a Riemannian manifold and we obtain a characterization of the Euclidean space using an Eikonal equation.     

The index growth and multiplicity of closed geodesics

In the recent paper [31] of Long and Duan (2009), we classified closed geodesics on Finsler manifolds into rational and irrational two families, and gave a complete understanding on the index growth properties of iterates of rational closed geodesics. This study yields that a rational closed geodesic cannot be the only closed geodesic on every irreversible or reversible (including Riemannian) Finsler sphere, and that there exist at least two distinct closed geodesics on every compact simply connected irreversible or reversible (including Riemannian) Finsler 3-dimensional manifold. In this paper, we study the index growth properties of irrational closed geodesics on Finsler manifolds. This study allows us to extend results in [31] of Long and Duan (2009) on rational, and in [12] of Duan and Long (2007), [39] of Rademacher (2010), and [40] of Rademacher (2008) on completely non-degenerate closed geodesics on spheres and CP² to every compact simply connected Finsler manifold. Then we prove the existence of at least two distinct closed geodesics on every compact simply connected irreversible or reversible (including Riemannian) Finsler 4-dimensional manifold.     

Invex sets and preinvex functions on Riemannian manifolds

The concept of a geodesic invex subset of a Riemannian manifold is introduced. Geodesic invex and preinvex functions on a geodesic invex set with respect to particular maps are defined. The relation between geodesic invexity and preinvexity of functions on manifolds is studied. Using proximal subdifferential, certain results concerning extremum points of a non smooth geodesic preinvex function on a geodesic invex set are obtained. The main value inequality and the mean value theorem in invexity analysis are extended to Cartan-Hadamard manifolds.     

Vrănceanu connections and foliations with bundle-like metrics

We show that the Vrănceanu connection which was initially introduced on non-holonomic manifolds can be used to study the geometry of foliated manifolds. We prove that a foliation is totally geodesic with bundle-like metric if and only if this connection is a metric one. We introduce the notion of a foliated Riemannian manifold of constant transversal Vrănceanu curvature and the notion of a transversal Einstein foliated Riemannian manifold. The geometry of these two classes of manifolds is studied and the relationship between them is determined.     

Three- and Four-Dimensional Einstein-like Manifolds and Homogeneity

The aim of this paper is to study three- and four-dimensional Einstein-like Riemannian manifolds which are Ricci-curvature homogeneous, that is, have constant Ricci eigenvalues. In the three-dimensional case, we present the complete classification of these spaces while, in the four-dimensional case, this classification is obtained in the special case where the manifold is locally homogeneous. We also present explicit examples of four-dimensional locally homogeneous Riemannian manifolds whose Ricci tensor is cyclic-parallel (that is, are of type A) and has distinct eigenvalues. These examples are invalidating an expectation stated by F. Podestá and A. Spiro, and illustrating a striking contrast with the three-dimensional case (where this situation cannot occur). Finally, we also investigate the relation between three- and four-dimensional Einstein-like manifolds of type A and D'Atri spaces, that is, Riemannian manifolds whose geodesic symmetries are volume-preserving (up to sign).     

Convexity of Domains of Riemannian Manifolds

In this paper the problem of the geodesic connectedness and convexity ofincomplete Riemannian manifolds is analyzed. To this aim, a detailedstudy of the notion of convexity for the associated Cauchy boundary iscarried out. In particular, under widely discussed hypotheses,we prove the convexity of open domains (whose boundaries may benondifferentiable) of a complete Riemannian manifold. Variationalmethods are mainly used. Examples and applications are provided,including a result for dynamical systems on the existence oftrajectories with fixed energy.     

Convexity and Some Geometric Properties

The main goal of this paper is to present results of existence and nonexistence of convex functions on Riemannian manifolds, and in the case of the existence, we associate such functions to the geometry of the manifold. Precisely, we prove that the conservativity of the geodesic flow on a Riemannian manifold with infinite volume is an obstruction to the existence of convex functions. Next, we present a geometric condition that ensures the existence of (strictly) convex functions on a particular class of complete manifolds, and we use this fact to construct a manifold whose sectional curvature assumes any real value greater than a negative constant and admits a strictly convex function. In the last result, we relate the geometry of a Riemannian manifold of positive sectional curvature with the set of minimum points of a convex function defined on the manifold.     

Entropy-expansiveness of geodesic flows on closed manifolds without conjugate points

In this article, we consider the entropy-expansiveness of geodesic flows on closed Riemannian manifolds without conjugate points. We prove that, if the manifold has no focal points, or if the manifold is bounded asymptote, then the geodesic flow is entropy-expansive. Moreover, for the compact oriented surfaces without conjugate points, we prove that the geodesic flows are entropy-expansive. We also give an estimation of distance between two positively asymptotic geodesics of an uniform visibility manifold.