Geodesics on H-type quaternion groups with sub-Lorentzian metric and their physical interpretation

Abstract

We study the existence and cardinality of normal geodesics of different causal types on H(eisenberg)-type quaternion group equipped with the sub-Lorentzian metric. We present explicit formulas for geodesics and describe reachable sets by geodesics of different causal character. We compare results with the sub-Riemannian quaternion group and with the sub-Lorentzian Heisenberg group, showing that there are similarities and distinctions. We show that the geodesics on H-type quaternion groups with the sub-Lorentzian metric satisfy the equations describing the motion of a relativistic particle in a constant homogeneous electromagnetic field.