Jacobi-Maupertuis metric of Lienard type equations and Jacobi Last Multiplier

Abstract

We present a construction of the Jacobi-Maupertuis (JM) principle for an equation of the Lienard type, viz \ddot{x} + f(x)x^2 + g(x) = 0 using Jacobi's last multiplier. The JM metric allows us to reformulate the Newtonian equation of motion for a variable mass as a geodesic equation for a Riemannian metric. We illustrate the procedure with examples of Painleve-Gambier XXI, the Jacobi equation and the Henon-Heiles system