2

Let $G$ be a Lie group with Lie algebra $\mathfrak{g}$ and identity element $e$. I want to define a Riemannian metric on $G$ such that the one-parameter subgroups $\gamma_X(t) = \exp(tX)$ with $t\in\mathbb{R}$ are geodesics for any $X\in\mathfrak{g}$, where $\exp$ here is the usual Lie-theoretic exponential map---i.e., the flow along the integral line through $e$ of the left-invariant vector field whose value at $e$ is $X$. My questions are the following:

  1. What properties does $G$ need to have in order for such metric to exist?
  2. Assuming those conditions are met, is the metric unique?

I know that if the metric is bi-invariant (i.e., both left- and right-invariant) under the group action, then $\gamma_X(t) = \exp(tX)$ are geodesics, and if $G$ is compact, such a metric can be defined. But does it also go the other way around? Namely, do my requirements imply that the metric has to be bi-invariant, and the group has to be compact? I'd appreciate it if anyone could shed any light on this!

Edit: As per Lee Mosher's answer below, the condition I listed in the first paragraph is still too weak for me to make any concrete general statements about the metrics that satisfy it. A slightly stronger requirement would be to demand that not only $\gamma_X(t) = \exp(tX)$, but also $\gamma'_X(t) = \exp(tX)g$ be a geodesic for every $g$ in the group and $X$ in the Lie algebra. Is there anything interesting that can be said about that case?

Edit 2: The question made in the previous edit is now in a new post, as Lee Mosher's answer below satisfactorily addresses the conditions of the question as it was originally posed.

  • 1
    The way this site works is that if you get a satisfactory anwer to your original post, then you choose your favorite answer and accept it by selecting the checkmark. One thing you definitely should not do, after getting satisfactory answers, is to rewrite your post in a manner that invalidates those answers. Instead, accept your favorite answer, and move on to a new post. – Lee Mosher Jul 14 '23 at 14:35

1 Answers1

2

For a simple counterexample take the Lie group $\mathbb R^2$ with two metrics. The first is the usual Euclidean metric, which can also be written in polar coordinate form $$ds^2 = dx^2 + dy^2 = dr^2 + r^2 d\theta^2 $$ The second, when written in polar coordinates, has the form $$ds^2 = dr^2 + \sinh^2(r) d\theta^2 $$ which is isometric to the hyperbolic plane $\mathbb H^2$ (see this math.stackexchange question). But compactness fails, and the second metric is not bi-invariant.

Perhaps you can see from this example why your questions don't really have much hope: requiring just that the one-parameter subgroups are geodesics is a very loose requirement, allowing a lot of play in the construction of the Riemannian metric. In this example, all I had to do was tweak the factor in front of $d\theta^2$.

Lee Mosher
  • 120,280