English

Constrained variational calculus: the second variation (part I)

Mathematical Physics 2012-10-17 v3 math.MP

Abstract

Within the geometrical framework developed in arXiv:0705.2362, the problem of minimality for constrained calculus of variations is analysed among the class of differentiable curves. A fully covariant representation of the second variation of the action functional, based on a suitable gauge transformation of the Lagrangian, is explicitly worked out. Both necessary and sufficient conditions for minimality are proved, and are then reinterpreted in terms of Jacobi fields.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1006.3632,
  title  = {Constrained variational calculus: the second variation (part I)},
  author = {Enrico Massa and Danilo Bruno and Gianvittorio Luria and Enrico Pagani},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1006.3632},
  year   = {2012}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-21T15:38:02.588Z