On cusps of caustics by reflection in two dimensional projective Finsler metrics
Given a projective Finsler metric in a convex domain in the projective plane, that is, a metric in which geodesics are straight lines, consider the respective Finsler billiard system. Choose a generic point inside the table and consider the billiard trajectories that start at this point and undergo N reflection off the boundary. The envelope of the resulting 1-parameter family of straight lines is the Nth caustic by reflection. We prove that, for every N, it has at least four cusps, generalizing a similar result for Euclidean metric, obtained recently jointly with G. Bor.
Authors
- Serge Tabachnikov (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5398-7820)
Institutions
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Theoretical and Applied Mechanics
- Published
- 2025-01-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.2298/tam250109004t
- Primary Topic
- Advanced Differential Geometry Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Science Foundation