Variations of Arc Length, Jacobi Fields, the Effect of Curvature

  • D. Bao
  • S.-S. Chern
  • Z. Shen
Part of the Graduate Texts in Mathematics book series (GTM, volume 200)

Abstract

In this section, we use the method of differential forms to describe the first variation. There is another approach which uses vector fields and covariant differentiation. That is explored in a series of guided exercises at the end of 5.2. (Those exercises involve the second variation as well.) A systematic self-contained account can also be found in [BC1].

Keywords

Reference Vector Finsler Manifold Finsler Geometry Jacobi Field Chern Connection 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

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References

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    J. Cheeger and D. Ebin, Comparison Theorems in Riemannian Geometry, North Holland/American Elsevier, 1975.Google Scholar
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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media New York 2000

Authors and Affiliations

  • D. Bao
    • 1
  • S.-S. Chern
    • 2
  • Z. Shen
    • 3
  1. 1.Department of MathematicsUniversity of HoustonUniversity Park, HoustonUSA
  2. 2.Department of MathematicsUniversity of California at BerkeleyBerkeleyUSA
  3. 3.Department of Mathematical SciencesIndiana University-Purdue University IndianapolisIndianapolisUSA

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