Infinite geodesics of sub-Finsler distances in the Heisenberg groups

Abstract

We consider Heisenberg groups equipped with a sub-Finsler metric. Using methods of optimal control theory we prove that in this geometric setting the infinite geodesics are horizontal lines under the assumption that the sub-Finsler metric is defined by a strictly convex norm. This answers a question posed in [5] and has applications in the characterisation of isometric embeddings into Heisenberg groups.