On the definition of Alexandrov space

Abstract

This paper shows that, in the definition of Alexandrov space with lower ([BGP]) or upper ([AKP]) curvature bound, the original conditions can be replaced with much weaker ones, which can be viewed as comparison versions of the second variation formula in Riemannian geometry (and thus if we define Alexandrov spaces using these weakened conditions, then the original definition will become a local version of Toponogov's Comparison Theorem on such spaces). As an application, we give a new proof for the Doubling Theorem by Perel'man.Comment: 12 page