A contact covariant approach to optimal control with applications to sub-Riemannian geometry

We discuss contact geometry naturally related with optimal control problems (and Pontryagin Maximum Principle). We explore and expand the observations of [Ohsawa, 2015], providing simple and elegant characterizations of normal and abnormal sub-Riemannian extremals.Comment: A small correction in the statement and proof of Thm 6.15. Watch our publication: https://youtu.be/V04N9X3NxYA and https://youtu.be/jghdRK2IaU

Sub-Riemannian Ricci curvatures and universal diameter bounds for 3-Sasakian manifolds

For a fat sub-Riemannian structure, we introduce three canonical Ricci curvatures in the sense of Agrachev-Zelenko-Li. Under appropriate bounds we prove comparison theorems for conjugate lengths, Bonnet-Myers type results and Laplacian comparison theorems for the intrinsic sub-Laplacian. As an application, we consider the sub-Riemannian structure of $3$-Sasakian manifolds, for which we provide explicit curvature formulas. We prove that any complete $3$-Sasakian structure of dimension $4d+3$, with $d>1$, has sub-Riemannian diameter bounded by $\pi$. When $d=1$, a similar statement holds under additional Ricci bounds. These results are sharp for the natural sub-Riemannian structure on $\mathbb{S}^{4d+3}$ of the quaternionic Hopf fibrations: \begin{equation*} \mathbb{S}^3 \hookrightarrow \mathbb{S}^{4d+3} \to \mathbb{HP}^d, \end{equation*} whose exact sub-Riemannian diameter is $\pi$, for all $d \geq 1$.Comment: 34 pages, v2: fixed and clarified the proof of Theorem 7 and some typos, v3: final version, to appear on Journal of the Institute of Mathematics of Jussie

Generalized Ricci Curvature Bounds for Three Dimensional Contact Subriemannian manifolds

Measure contraction property is one of the possible generalizations of Ricci curvature bound to more general metric measure spaces. In this paper, we discover sufficient conditions for a three dimensional contact subriemannian manifold to satisfy this property.Comment: 49 page

Comparison theorems for conjugate points in sub-Riemannian geometry

We prove sectional and Ricci-type comparison theorems for the existence of conjugate points along sub-Riemannian geodesics. In order to do that, we regard sub-Riemannian structures as a special kind of variational problems. In this setting, we identify a class of models, namely linear quadratic optimal control systems, that play the role of the constant curvature spaces. As an application, we prove a version of sub-Riemannian Bonnet-Myers theorem and we obtain some new results on conjugate points for three dimensional left-invariant sub-Riemannian structures.Comment: 33 pages, 5 figures, v2: minor revision, v3: minor revision, v4: minor revisions after publicatio

The rolling problem: overview and challenges

In the present paper we give a historical account -ranging from classical to modern results- of the problem of rolling two Riemannian manifolds one on the other, with the restrictions that they cannot instantaneously slip or spin one with respect to the other. On the way we show how this problem has profited from the development of intrinsic Riemannian geometry, from geometric control theory and sub-Riemannian geometry. We also mention how other areas -such as robotics and interpolation theory- have employed the rolling model.Comment: 20 page

On Jacobi fields and canonical connection in sub-Riemannian geometry

In sub-Riemannian geometry the coefficients of the Jacobi equation define curvature-like invariants. We show that these coefficients can be interpreted as the curvature of a canonical Ehresmann connection associated to the metric, first introduced in [Zelenko-Li]. We show why this connection is naturally nonlinear, and we discuss some of its properties.Comment: 13 pages, (v2) minor corrections. Final version to appear on Archivum Mathematicu