Hilbert metrics and Minkowski norms

Abstract

It is shown that the Hilbert geometry $(D,h_D)$ associated to a bounded convex domain $D\subset {\mathbb{E}}^n$ is isometric to a normed vector space $(V,||\cdot ||)$ if and only if $D$ is an open $n$-simplex. One further result on the asymptotic geometry of Hilbert's metric is obtained with corollaries for the behavior of geodesics. Finally we prove that every geodesic ray in a Hilbert geometry converges to a point of the boundary.

11 pages, 3 figures