English

k-Parameter geodesic variations

Differential Geometry 2012-07-17 v1

Abstract

Suppose SS is a semispray on a manifold MM. We know that the complete lift ScS^c of SS is a semispray on TMTM with the property that geodesics of ScS^c correspond to Jacobi fields of SS. In this note we generalize this result and show how geodesic variations of kk-variables are related to geodesics of the kkth iterated complete lift of SS. Moreover, for sprays (that is, homogeneous semisprays) we show how geodesic variations of (n1)(n-1)-variables are related to a natural generalisation of Jacobi tensors.

Cite

@article{arxiv.1112.0228,
  title  = {k-Parameter geodesic variations},
  author = {Ioan Bucataru and Matias F. Dahl},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1112.0228},
  year   = {2012}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-21T19:44:47.005Z