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Geodesically reversible Finsler 2-spheres of constant curvature

Robert L. Bryant
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Abstract

A Finsler space is said to be geodesically reversible if each oriented geodesic can be reparametrized as a geodesic with the reverse orientation. A reversible Finsler space is geodesically reversible, but the converse need not be true. In this note, building on recent work of LeBrun and Mason, it is shown that a geodesically reversible Finsler metric of constant flag curvature on the 2-sphere is necessarily projectively flat. As a corollary, using a previous result of the author, it is shown that a reversible Finsler metric of constant flag curvature on the 2-sphere is necessarily a Riemannian metric of constant Gauss curvature, thus settling a long-standing problem in Finsler geometry.

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Robert L. Bryant. 2004-08-02. Geodesically reversible Finsler 2-spheres of constant curvature. https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0407514

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