Geodesics on Grushin spaces

Abstract

We consider higher-dimensional generalizations of the $\alpha$-Grushin plane, focusing on the problem of classification of geodesics that minimize length, also known as optimal synthesis. Solving Hamilton's equations on these spaces using the calculus of generalized trigonometric functions, we obtain explicit conjugate times for geodesics starting at a Riemannian point. From symmetries in the geodesic structure, we propose a conjectured cut time, and prove that it provides an upper bound on the first conjugate time, a key step in the extended Hadamard technique. In the three-dimensional case, we combine this method with a density argument to establish the conjecture.