A Generalization of Finsler Geometry

Abstract

Modern differential geometry may be said to date from Riemann's famous lecture of 1854 (9), in which a distance function of the form F(x i , dx i ) = (γ ij(x)dx i dx j ½ was proposed. The applications of the consequent geometry were many and varied. Examples are Synge's geometrization of mechanics (15), Riesz’ approach to linear elliptic partial differential equations (10), and the well-known general theory of relativity of Einstein. Meanwhile the results of Caratheodory (4) in the calculus of variations led Finsler in 1918 to introduce a generalization of the Riemannian metric function (6). The geometry which arose was more fully developed by Berwald (2) and Synge (14) about 1925 and later by Cartan (5), Busemann, and Rund. It was then possible to extend the applications of Riemannian geometry.