New second-order optimality conditions in sub-Riemannian Geometry

TL;DR

This paper introduces new second-order necessary optimality conditions for sub-Riemannian geodesics, classifies abnormal minimizers into 2-normal and 2-abnormal types, and explores their properties and regularity.

Contribution

It derives novel second-order conditions, introduces a classification of abnormal extremals, and provides a new derivation of Goh conditions in sub-Riemannian Geometry.

Findings

ODE for velocity of abnormal geodesics is established

Abnormal extremals are classified into 2-normal and 2-abnormal

Piecewise-C^2 regularity of abnormal extremals under weaker assumptions

Abstract

We study the geometry of the second-order expansion of the extended end-point map for the sub-Riemannian geodesic problem. Translating the geometric reality into equations we derive new second-order necessary optimality conditions in sub-Riemannian Geometry. In particular, we find an ODE for velocity of an abnormal sub-Riemannian geodesics. It allows to divide abnormal minimizers into two classes, which we propose to call 2-normal and 2-abnormal extremals. In the 2-normal case the above ODE completely determines the velocity of a curve, while in the 2-abnormal case the velocity is undetermined at some, or at all points. With some enhancement of the presented results it should be possible to prove the regularity of all 2-normal extremals (the 2-abnormal case seems to require study of higher-order conditions) thus making a step towards solving the problem of smoothness of sub-Riemannian abnormal geodesics. As a by-product we present a new derivation of Goh conditions. We also prove that the assumptions weaker than these used in [Boarotto, Monti, Palmurella, 2020] to derive third-order Goh conditions, imply piece-wise-$C^2$ regularity of an abnormal extremal.