In this book we study sprays and Finsler metrics. Roughly speaking, a spray on a manifold consists of compatible systems of second-order ordinary differential equations. A Finsler metric on a manifold is a family of norms in tangent spaces, which vary smoothly with the base point. Every Finsler metric determines a spray by its systems of geodesic equations. Thus, Finsler spaces can be viewed as special spray spaces. On the other hand, every Finsler metric defines a distance function by the length of minimial curves. Thus Finsler spaces can be viewed as regular metric spaces. Riemannian spaces...

In 1854, B Riemann introduced the notion of curvature for spaces with a family of inner products. There was no significant progress in the general case until 1918, when P Finsler studied the variation problem in regular metric spaces. Around 1926, L Berwald extended Riemann's notion of curvature to regular metric spaces and introduced a new quantity -- Berwald curvature. Since then, Finsler geometry has developed steadily. In his Paris address in 1900, D Hilbert formulated 23 problems, the 4th and 23rd problems being in Finsler's category. Finsler geometry has broader applications in many...

In 1854, B Riemann introduced the notion of curvature for spaces with a family of inner products. There was no significant progress in the general case until 1918, when P Finsler studied the variation problem in regular metric spaces. Around 1926, L Berwald extended Riemann's notion of curvature to regular metric spaces and introduced a new quantity -- Berwald curvature. Since then, Finsler geometry has developed steadily. In his Paris address in 1900, D Hilbert formulated 23 problems, the 4th and 23rd problems being in Finsler's category. Finsler geometry has broader applications in many...

Riemann-Finsler geometry is a subject that concerns manifolds with Finsler metrics, including Riemannian metrics. It has applications in many fields of the natural sciences. Curvature is the central concept in Riemann?Finsler geometry. This invaluable textbook presents detailed discussions on important curvatures such as the Cartan torsion, the S-curvature, the Landsberg curvature and the Riemann curvature. It also deals with Finsler metrics with special curvature or geodesic properties, such as projectively flat Finsler metrics, Berwald metrics, Finsler metrics of scalar flag curvature or...

Riemann-Finsler geometry is a subject that concerns manifolds with Finsler metrics, including Riemannian metrics. It has applications in many fields of the natural sciences. Curvature is the central concept in Riemann-Finsler geometry. This invaluable textbook presents detailed discussions on important curvatures such the Cartan torsion, the S-curvature, the Landsberg curvature and the Riemann curvature. It also deals with Finsler metrics with special curvature or geodesic properties, such as projectively flat Finsler metrics, Berwald metrics, Finsler metrics of scalar curvature or isotropic...

This comprehensive book is an introduction to the basics of Finsler geometry with recent developments in its area. It includes local geometry as well as global geometry of Finsler manifolds.In Part I, the authors discuss differential manifolds, Finsler metrics, the Chern connection, Riemannian and non-Riemannian quantities. Part II is written for readers who would like to further their studies in Finsler geometry. It covers projective transformations, comparison theorems, fundamental group, minimal immersions, harmonic maps, Einstein metrics, conformal transformations, amongst other related...