Splitting theorems for Finsler manifolds of nonnegative Ricci curvature

Abstract

We investigate the structure of a Finsler manifold of nonnegative weighted Ricci curvature including a straight line, and extend the classical Cheeger-Gromoll-Lichnerowicz splitting theorem. Such a space admits a diffeomorphic, measure-preserving splitting in general. As for a special class of Berwald spaces, we can perform the isometric splitting in the sense that there is a one-parameter family of isometries generated from the gradient vector field of the Busemann function. A Betti number estimate is also given for Berwald spaces.

arXiv comment21 pages; minor corrections; to appear in J. Reine Angew. Math