Properties of reachable sets in the sub-Lorentzian geometry

The aim of this paper is to develop local theory of future timelike, nonspacelike and null reachable sets from a given point q0 in the sub-Lorentzian geometry. In particular, we prove that if U is a normal neighbourhood of q0 then the three reachable sets, computed relative to U, have identical interiors and boundaries with respect to U. Further, among other things, we show that for Lorentzian metrics on contact distributions on R2n+1, n≥1, the boundary of reachable sets from q0 is, in a neighbourhood of q0, made up of null future directed curves starting from q0. Every such curve has only a finite number of non-smooth points; smooth pieces of every such curve are Hamiltonian geodesics. For general sub-Lorentzian structures, contrary to the Lorentzian case, timelike curves may appear on the boundary. It turns out that such curves are always Goh curves. We also generalize a classical result on null Lorentzian geodesics: every null future directed Hamiltonian sub-Lorentzian geodesic initiating at q0 is contained, at least to a certain moment of time, in the boundary of the reachable set from q0.