Length spectrum rigidity and flexibility of spheres of revolution with one equator

Abstract

We define a notion of marked length spectrum for $S^1$-symmetric Riemannian metrics on the two-sphere having only one equator. We prove that isospectral metrics in this class have conjugate geodesic flows. Under a further ${\mathbb{Z}}_2$-symmetry assumption, we show that the marked length spectrum determines the metric. Finally, we show that every isospectral class of metrics contains a unique ${\mathbb{Z}}_2$-symmetric metric and give an explicit description of this isospectral class as an infinite dimensional convex set, generalizing the known description of $S^1$-symmetric Zoll metrics. This paper contains also two appendices, in which we provide an elementary proof of the fact that a $C^2$ real valued function on an interval is determined by the set of tangent lines to its graph, and we classify a class of $S^1$-invariant contact forms on three-manifolds.

51 pages