On some aspects of the geometry of non integrable distributions and applications

We consider a regular distribution $\mathcal{D}$ in a Riemannian manifold $(M,g)$. The Levi-Civita connection on $(M,g)$ together with the orthogonal projection allow to endow the space of sections of $\mathcal{D}$ with a natural covariant derivative, the intrinsic connection. Hence we have two different covariant derivatives for sections of $\mathcal{D}$, one directly with the connection in $(M,g)$ and the other one with this intrinsic connection. Their difference is the second fundamental form of $\mathcal{D}$ and we prove it is a significant tool to characterize the involutive and the totally geodesic distributions and to give a natural formulation of the equation of motion for mechanical systems with constraints. The two connections also give two different notions of curvature, curvature tensors and sectional curvatures, which are compared in this paper with the use of the second fundamental form.Comment: 23 page

Remarks on multisymplectic reduction

The problem of reduction of multisymplectic manifolds by the action of Lie groups is stated and discussed, as a previous step to give a fully covariant scheme of reduction for classical field theories with symmetries.Comment: 9 pages. Some comments added in the section "Discussion and outlook" and in the Acknowledgments. New references are added. Minor mistakes are correcte

Sundman transformation and alternative tangent structures

A geometric approach to Sundman transformation defined by basic functions for systems of second-order differential equations is developed and the necessity of a change of the tangent structure by means of the function defining the Sundman transformation is shown. Among other applications of such theory we study the linearisability of a system of second-order differential equations and in particular the simplest case of a second-order differential equation. The theory is illustrated with several examples

Optimal control, contact dynamics and Herglotz variational problem

In this paper, we combine two main topics in mechanics and optimal control theory: contact Hamiltonian systems and Pontryagin maximum principle. As an important result, among others, we develop a contact Pontryagin maximum principle that permits to deal with optimal control problems with dissipation. We also consider the Herglotz optimal control problem, which is simultaneously a generalization of the Herglotz variational principle and an optimal control problem. An application to the study of a thermodynamic system is provided

Multivector Fields and Connections. Setting Lagrangian Equations in Field Theories

The integrability of multivector fields in a differentiable manifold is studied. Then, given a jet bundle $J^1E\to E\to M$, it is shown that integrable multivector fields in $E$ are equivalent to integrable connections in the bundle $E\to M$ (that is, integrable jet fields in $J^1E$). This result is applied to the particular case of multivector fields in the manifold $J^1E$ and connections in the bundle $J^1E\to M$ (that is, jet fields in the repeated jet bundle $J^1J^1E$), in order to characterize integrable multivector fields and connections whose integral manifolds are canonical lifting of sections. These results allow us to set the Lagrangian evolution equations for first-order classical field theories in three equivalent geometrical ways (in a form similar to that in which the Lagrangian dynamical equations of non-autonomous mechanical systems are usually given). Then, using multivector fields; we discuss several aspects of these evolution equations (both for the regular and singular cases); namely: the existence and non-uniqueness of solutions, the integrability problem and Noether's theorem; giving insights into the differences between mechanics and field theories.Comment: New sections on integrability of Multivector Fields and applications to Field Theory (including some examples) are added. The title has been slightly modified. To be published in J. Math. Phy