Symmetric orthogonality and non-expansive projections in metric spaces

Abstract

In this paper known results of symmetric orthogonality, as introduced by G. Birkhoff, and non-expansive nearest point projections are extended from the linear to the metric setting. If the space has non-positive curvature in the sense Busemann then it is shown that those concepts are actually equivalent. In the end it is shown that every space having non-positive curvature in the sense of Busemann is a $CAT(0)$-space provided that its tangent cones are uniquely geodesic and their nearest point projections onto convex are non-expansive.