Unitary vector fields are Fermi–Walker transported along Rytov–Legendre curves

Abstract

Fix ξ a unitary vector field on a Riemannian manifold M and γ a non-geodesic Frenet curve on M satisfying the Rytov law of polarization optics. We prove in these conditions that γ is a Legendre curve for ξ if and only if the γ-Fermi–Walker covariant derivative of ξ vanishes. The cases when γ is circle or helix as well as ξ is (conformal) Killing vector filed or potential vector field of a Ricci soliton are analyzed and an example involving a three-dimensional warped metric is provided. We discuss also K-(para)contact, particularly (para)Sasakian, manifolds and hypersurfaces in complex space forms.