The Landsberg equation of a Finsler space

Abstract

Given a Finsler space, we introduce a system of partial differential equations, called the Landsberg equation. Based on a careful analysis of the Landsberg equation and the observation that the solution space is invariant under the linear isometries of the tangent Minkowski spaces, we prove that an $({\alpha }_1,{\alpha }_2)$-metric of the Landsberg type must be a Berwald metric. This shows that the hunting for a unicorn, one of the longest standing open problem in Finsler geometry, cannot be successful even in the very broad class of $({\alpha }_1,{\alpha }_2)$-metrics.

19 pages

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