Some Riemannian properties of $\mathbf{SU_n}$ endowed with a bi-invariant metric

Abstract

We study some properties of $SU_n$ endowed with the Frobenius metric $\phi$, which is, up to a positive constant multiple, the unique bi-invariant Riemannian metric on $SU_n$. In particular we express the distance between $P, Q \in SU_n$ in terms of eigenvalues of $P^*Q$; we compute the diameter of $(SU_n, \phi)$ and we determine its diametral pairs; we prove that the set of all minimizing geodesic segments with endpoints $P$, $Q$ can be parametrized by means of a compact connected submanifold of $\mathfrak{su}_n$, diffeomorphic to a suitable complex Grassmannian depending on $P$ and $Q$.