00440nas a2200157 4500008004100000022001400041245004400055210004400099260000800143300000800151490000700159100002500166700002400191700002100215856004600236 2017 eng d a1432-083500aHomotopically invisible singular curves0 aHomotopically invisible singular curves cJul a1050 v561 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aBoarotto, Francesco1 aLerario, Antonio uhttps://doi.org/10.1007/s00526-017-1203-z00469nas a2200109 4500008004100000245007600041210006900117100002500186700002100211700001700232856011000249 2016 eng d00aVolume geodesic distortion and Ricci curvature for Hamiltonian dynamics0 aVolume geodesic distortion and Ricci curvature for Hamiltonian d1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aBarilari, Davide1 aPaoli, Elisa uhttps://www.math.sissa.it/publication/volume-geodesic-distortion-and-ricci-curvature-hamiltonian-dynamics01188nas a2200157 4500008004100000245005800041210005700099260003700156300001600193490000700209520065100216100002500867700002400892700002100916856009300937 2015 eng d00aGeodesics and horizontal-path spaces in Carnot groups0 aGeodesics and horizontalpath spaces in Carnot groups bMathematical Sciences Publishers a1569–16300 v193 a

We study properties of the space of horizontal paths joining the origin with a vertical point on a generic two-step Carnot group. The energy is a Morse-Bott functional on paths and its critical points (sub-Riemannian geodesics) appear in families (compact critical manifolds) with controlled topology. We study the asymptotic of the number of critical manifolds as the energy grows. The topology of the horizontal-path space is also investigated, and we find asymptotic results for the total Betti number of the sublevels of the energy as it goes to infinity. We interpret these results as local invariants of the sub-Riemannian structure.

1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aGentile, Alessandro1 aLerario, Antonio uhttps://www.math.sissa.it/publication/geodesics-and-horizontal-path-spaces-carnot-groups01043nas a2200145 4500008004100000245004200041210003700083260001000120520060700130653006200737100002500799700002100824700001600845856003600861 2013 en d00aThe curvature: a variational approach0 acurvature a variational approach bSISSA3 aThe curvature discussed in this paper is a rather far going generalization of the Riemannian sectional curvature. We define it for a wide class of optimal control problems: a unified framework including geometric structures such as Riemannian, sub-Riemannian, Finsler and sub-Finsler structures; a special attention is paid to the sub-Riemannian (or Carnot-Caratheodory) metric spaces. Our construction of the curvature is direct and naive, and it is similar to the original approach of Riemann. Surprisingly, it works in a very general setting and, in particular, for all sub-Riemannian spaces.10aCrurvature, subriemannian metric, optimal control problem1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aBarilari, Davide1 aRizzi, Luca uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/722600550nas a2200109 4500008004100000245002500041210002500066260001000091520025100101100002500352856006300377 2013 en d00aQuadratic cohomology0 aQuadratic cohomology bSISSA3 aWe study homological invariants of smooth families of real quadratic forms as\r\na step towards a \"Lagrange multipliers rule in the large\" that intends to\r\ndescribe topology of smooth vector functions in terms of scalar Lagrange\r\nfunctions.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A. uhttps://www.math.sissa.it/publication/quadratic-cohomology00401nas a2200121 4500008004100000245002300041210002300064260001000087520010800097653001300205100002500218856003600243 2013 en d00aSome open problems0 aSome open problems bSISSA3 aWe discuss some challenging open problems in the geometric control theory and sub-Riemannian geometry.10aGeometry1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A. uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/707001194nas a2200133 4500008004100000245005500041210004700096260001000143520080800153100002500961700002100986700001701007856003601024 2012 en d00aOn the Hausdorff volume in sub-Riemannian geometry0 aHausdorff volume in subRiemannian geometry bSISSA3 aFor a regular sub-Riemannian manifold we study the Radon-Nikodym derivative\r\nof the spherical Hausdorff measure with respect to a smooth volume. We prove\r\nthat this is the volume of the unit ball in the nilpotent approximation and it\r\nis always a continuous function. We then prove that up to dimension 4 it is\r\nsmooth, while starting from dimension 5, in corank 1 case, it is C^3 (and C^4\r\non every smooth curve) but in general not C^5. These results answer to a\r\nquestion addressed by Montgomery about the relation between two intrinsic\r\nvolumes that can be defined in a sub-Riemannian manifold, namely the Popp and\r\nthe Hausdorff volume. If the nilpotent approximation depends on the point (that\r\nmay happen starting from dimension 5), then they are not proportional, in\r\ngeneral.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aBarilari, Davide1 aBoscain, Ugo uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/645400389nas a2200121 4500008004100000245005900041210005800100260001000158100002500168700002100193700001700214856003600231 2012 en d00aIntroduction to Riemannian and sub-Riemannian geometry0 aIntroduction to Riemannian and subRiemannian geometry bSISSA1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aBarilari, Davide1 aBoscain, Ugo uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/587700821nas a2200121 4500008004100000245007700041210006900118520040700187100002500594700002300619700002100642856003600663 2012 en d00aOn robust Lie-algebraic stability conditions for switched linear systems0 arobust Liealgebraic stability conditions for switched linear sys3 aThis paper presents new sufficient conditions for exponential stability of switched linear systems under arbitrary switching, which involve the commutators (Lie brackets) among the given matrices generating the switched system. The main novelty feature of these stability criteria is that, unlike their earlier counterparts, they are robust with respect to small perturbations of the system parameters.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aBaryshnikov, Yurij1 aLiberzon, Daniel uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/645500752nas a2200121 4500008004100000245004700041210004600088260001000134520040400144100002500548700002100573856003600594 2012 en d00aSub-Riemannian structures on 3D Lie groups0 aSubRiemannian structures on 3D Lie groups bSISSA3 a

We give a complete classification of left-invariant sub-Riemannian structures on three dimensional Lie groups in terms of the basic differential invariants. As a corollary we explicitly find a sub-Riemannian isometry between the nonisomorphic Lie groups $SL(2)$ and $A^+(\mathbb{R})\times S^1$, where $A^+(\mathbb{R})$ denotes the group of orientation preserving affine maps on the real line.

1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aBarilari, Davide uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/645300723nas a2200121 4500008004100000245003800041210003800079260001000117520039200127100002500519700002100544856003600565 2012 en d00aSystems of Quadratic Inequalities0 aSystems of Quadratic Inequalities bSISSA3 aWe present a spectral sequence which efficiently computes Betti numbers of a closed semi-algebraic subset of RP^n defined by a system of quadratic inequalities and the image of the homology homomorphism induced by the inclusion of this subset in RP^n. We do not restrict ourselves to the term E_2 of the spectral sequence and give a simple explicit formula for the differential d_2.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aLerario, Antonio uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/707200585nas a2200121 4500008004100000245011300041210006900154260001000223520015500233100002500388700001400413856003600427 2011 en d00aBishop and Laplacian Comparison Theorems on Three Dimensional Contact Subriemannian Manifolds with Symmetry0 aBishop and Laplacian Comparison Theorems on Three Dimensional Co bSISSA3 aWe prove a Bishop volume comparison theorem and a Laplacian comparison\r\ntheorem for three dimensional contact subriemannian manifolds with symmetry.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aLee, Paul uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/650800398nas a2200109 4500008004100000245009300041210006900134260001000203100002500213700001400238856003600252 2011 en d00aGeneralized Ricci Curvature Bounds for Three Dimensional Contact Subriemannian manifolds0 aGeneralized Ricci Curvature Bounds for Three Dimensional Contact bSISSA1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aLee, Paul uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/650700442nas a2200109 4500008004100000245003800041210003400079520013500113100002500248700002300273856003600296 2011 en d00aThe geometry of Maximum Principle0 ageometry of Maximum Principle3 aAn invariant formulation of the maximum principle in optimal control is presented, and some second-order invariants are discussed.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aGamkrelidze, Revaz uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/645600674nas a2200121 4500008004100000245006800041210006100109260001000170520028700180653002400467100002500491856003600516 2011 en d00aOn the Space of Symmetric Operators with Multiple Ground States0 aSpace of Symmetric Operators with Multiple Ground States bSISSA3 aWe study homological structure of the filtrations of the spaces of self-adjoint operators by the multiplicity of the ground state. We consider only operators acting in a finite dimensional complex or real Hilbert space but infinite dimensional generalizations are easily guessed.10aMultiple eigenvalue1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A. uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/706900703nas a2200121 4500008004100000245007900041210006900120260001000189520030700199100002500506700001400531856003600545 2010 en d00aContinuity of optimal control costs and its application to weak KAM theory0 aContinuity of optimal control costs and its application to weak  bSISSA3 aWe prove continuity of certain cost functions arising from optimal control of\\r\\naffine control systems. We give sharp sufficient conditions for this\\r\\ncontinuity. As an application, we prove a version of weak KAM theorem and\\r\\nconsider the Aubry-Mather problems corresponding to these systems.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aLee, Paul uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/645900778nas a2200133 4500008004100000245004800041210004700089260001000136520038900146653002700535100002500562700002100587856003600608 2010 en d00aDynamics control by a time-varying feedback0 aDynamics control by a timevarying feedback bSISSA3 aWe consider a smooth bracket generating control-affine system in R^d and show that any orientation preserving diffeomorphism of R^d can be approximated, in the very strong sense, by a diffeomorphism included in the flow generated by a time-varying feedback control which is polynomial with respect to the state variables and trigonometric-polynomial with respect to the time variable.10aDiscrete-time dynamics1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aCaponigro, Marco uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/646100468nas a2200109 4500008004100000245005900041210005900100260001000159520012800169100002500297856003600322 2010 en d00aInvariant Lagrange submanifolds of dissipative systems0 aInvariant Lagrange submanifolds of dissipative systems bSISSA3 aWe study solutions of modified Hamilton-Jacobi equations H(du/dq,q) + cu(q) =\\r\\n0, q \\\\in M, on a compact manifold M .1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A. uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/645701439nas a2200181 4500008004300000245007000043210006800113260001300181300001200194490000700206520090200213100002501115700001701140700002301157700002001180700002101200856003601221 2010 en_Ud 00aTwo-dimensional almost-Riemannian structures with tangency points0 aTwodimensional almostRiemannian structures with tangency points bElsevier a793-8070 v273 a

Two-dimensional almost-Riemannian structures are generalized Riemannian structures on surfaces for which a local orthonormal frame is given by a Lie bracket generating pair of vector fields that can become collinear. We study the relation between the topological invariants of an almost-Riemannian structure on a compact oriented surface and the rank-two vector bundle over the surface which defines the structure. We analyse the generic case including the presence of tangency points, i.e. points where two generators of the distribution and their Lie bracket are linearly dependent. The main result of the paper provides a classification of oriented almost-Riemannian structures on compact oriented surfaces in terms of the Euler number of the vector bundle corresponding to the structure. Moreover, we present a Gauss-Bonnet formula for almost-Riemannian structures with tangency points.

1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aBoscain, Ugo1 aCharlot, Grégoire1 aGhezzi, Roberta1 aSigalotti, Mario uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/387000894nas a2200109 4500008004100000245007500041210006900116260001000185520052800195100002500723856003600748 2010 en d00aWell-posed infinite horizon variational problems on a compact manifold0 aWellposed infinite horizon variational problems on a compact man bSISSA3 aWe give an effective sufficient condition for a variational problem with infinite horizon on a compact Riemannian manifold M to admit a smooth optimal synthesis, i. e., a smooth dynamical system on M whose positive semi-trajectories are solutions to the problem. To realize the synthesis, we construct an invariant Lagrangian submanifold (well-projected to M) of the flow of extremals in the cotangent bundle T*M. The construction uses the curvature of the flow in the cotangent bundle and some ideas of hyperbolic dynamics1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A. uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/645800583nas a2200109 4500008004300000245005200043210005200095520024400147100002500391700002100416856003600437 2009 en_Ud 00aControllability on the group of diffeomorphisms0 aControllability on the group of diffeomorphisms3 aGiven a compact manifold M, we prove that any bracket generating family of vector fields on M, which is invariant under multiplication by smooth functions, generates the connected component of identity of the group of diffeomorphisms of M.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aCaponigro, Marco uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/339601520nas a2200133 4500008004300000245008600043210006900129520106500198100002501263700001701288700002401305700002101329856003601350 2009 en_Ud 00aThe intrinsic hypoelliptic Laplacian and its heat kernel on unimodular Lie groups0 aintrinsic hypoelliptic Laplacian and its heat kernel on unimodul3 aWe present an invariant definition of the hypoelliptic Laplacian on sub-Riemannian structures with constant growth vector, using the Popp\\\'s volume form introduced by Montgomery. This definition generalizes the one of the Laplace-Beltrami operator in Riemannian geometry. In the case of left-invariant problems on unimodular Lie groups we prove that it coincides with the usual sum of squares.\\nWe then extend a method (first used by Hulanicki on the Heisenberg group) to compute explicitly the kernel of the hypoelliptic heat equation on any unimodular Lie group of type I. The main tool is the noncommutative Fourier transform. We then study some relevant cases: SU(2), SO(3), SL(2) (with the metrics inherited by the Killing form), and the group SE(2) of rototranslations of the plane.\\nOur study is motivated by some recent results about the cut and conjugate loci on these sub-Riemannian manifolds. The perspective is to understand how singularities of the sub-Riemannian distance reflect on the kernel of the corresponding hypoelliptic heat equation.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aBoscain, Ugo1 aGauthier, Jean-Paul1 aRossi, Francesco uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/266901018nas a2200109 4500008004300000245005800043210005800101520067400159100002500833700001400858856003600872 2009 en_Ud 00aOptimal transportation under nonholonomic constraints0 aOptimal transportation under nonholonomic constraints3 aWe study the Monge\\\'s optimal transportation problem where the cost is given by optimal control cost. We prove the existence and uniqueness of optimal map under certain regularity conditions on the Lagrangian, absolute continuity of the measures and most importantly the absent of sharp abnormal minimizers. In particular, this result is applicable in the case of subriemannian manifolds with a 2-generating distribution and cost given by d2, where d is the subriemannian distance. Also, we discuss some properties of the optimal plan when abnormal minimizers are present. Finally, we consider some examples of displacement interpolation in the case of Grushin plane.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aLee, Paul uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/217601551nas a2200121 4500008004300000245007900043210006900122520113900191100002501330700001701355700002101372856003601393 2008 en_Ud 00aA Gauss-Bonnet-like formula on two-dimensional almost-Riemannian manifolds0 aGaussBonnetlike formula on twodimensional almostRiemannian manif3 aWe consider a generalization of Riemannian geometry that naturally arises in the framework of control theory. Let $X$ and $Y$ be two smooth vector fields on a two-dimensional manifold $M$. If $X$ and $Y$ are everywhere linearly independent, then they define a classical Riemannian metric on $M$ (the metric for which they are orthonormal) and they give to $M$ the structure of metric space. If $X$ and $Y$ become linearly dependent somewhere on $M$, then the corresponding Riemannian metric has singularities, but under generic conditions the metric structure is still well defined. Metric structures that can be defined locally in this way are called almost-Riemannian structures. They are special cases of rank-varying sub-Riemannian structures, which are naturally defined in terms of submodules of the space of smooth vector fields on $M$. Almost-Riemannian structures show interesting phenomena, in particular for what concerns the relation between curvature, presence of conjugate points, and topology of the manifold. The main result of the paper is a generalization to almost-Riemannian structures of the Gauss-Bonnet formula.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aBoscain, Ugo1 aSigalotti, Mario uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/186902024nas a2200109 4500008004300000245009300043210006900136520163000205100002501835700001801860856003601878 2007 en_Ud 00aOn feedback classification of control-affine systems with one and two-dimensional inputs0 afeedback classification of controlaffine systems with one and tw3 aThe paper is devoted to the local classification of generic control-affine systems on an n-dimensional manifold with scalar input for any n>3 or with two inputs for n=4 and n=5, up to state-feedback transformations, preserving the affine structure. First using the Poincare series of moduli numbers we introduce the intrinsic numbers of functional moduli of each prescribed number of variables on which a classification problem depends. In order to classify affine systems with scalar input we associate with such a system the canonical frame by normalizing some structural functions in a commutative relation of the vector fields, which define our control system. Then, using this canonical frame, we introduce the canonical coordinates and find a complete system of state-feedback invariants of the system. It also gives automatically the micro-local (i.e. local in state-input space) classification of the generic non-affine n-dimensional control system with scalar input for n>2. Further we show how the problem of feedback-equivalence of affine systems with two-dimensional input in state space of dimensions 4 and 5 can be reduced to the same problem for affine systems with scalar input. In order to make this reduction we distinguish the subsystem of our control system, consisting of the directions of all extremals in dimension 4 and all abnormal extremals in dimension 5 of the time optimal problem, defined by the original control system. In each classification problem under consideration we find the intrinsic numbers of functional moduli of each prescribed number of variables according to its Poincare series.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aZelenko, Igor uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/218600873nas a2200133 4500008004300000245009700043210006900140520040800209100002500617700001900642700002100661700002100682856003600703 2007 en_Ud 00aOn finite-dimensional projections of distributions for solutions of randomly forced PDE\\\'s0 afinitedimensional projections of distributions for solutions of 3 aThe paper is devoted to studying the image of probability measures on a Hilbert space under finite-dimensional analytic maps. We establish sufficient conditions under which the image of a measure has a density with respect to the Lebesgue measure and continuously depends on the map. The results obtained are applied to the 2D Navier-Stokes equations perturbed by various random forces of low dimension.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aKuksin, Sergei1 aSarychev, Andrey1 aShirikyan, Armen uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/201200974nas a2200109 4500008004300000245009300043210006900136520057600205100002500781700002200806856003600828 2006 en_Ud 00aAn estimation of the controllability time for single-input systems on compact Lie Groups0 aestimation of the controllability time for singleinput systems o3 aGeometric control theory and Riemannian techniques are used to describe the reachable set at time t of left invariant single-input control systems on semi-simple compact Lie groups and to estimate the minimal time needed to reach any point from identity. This method provides an effective way to give an upper and a lower bound for the minimal time needed to transfer a controlled quantum system with a drift from a given initial position to a given final position. The bounds include diameters of the flag manifolds; the latter are also explicitly computed in the paper.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aChambrion, Thomas uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/213502436nas a2200169 4500008004100000245007600041210006900117260007200186520184400258100002002102700002202122700001802144700002502162700001902187700002402206856003602230 2006 en d00aExperimental and modeling studies of desensitization of P2X3 receptors.0 aExperimental and modeling studies of desensitization of P2X3 rec bthe American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics3 aThe function of ATP-activated P2X3 receptors involved in pain sensation is modulated by desensitization, a phenomenon poorly understood. The present study used patch-clamp recording from cultured rat or mouse sensory neurons and kinetic modeling to clarify the properties of P2X3 receptor desensitization. Two types of desensitization were observed, a fast process (t1/2 = 50 ms; 10 microM ATP) following the inward current evoked by micromolar agonist concentrations, and a slow process (t1/2 = 35 s; 10 nM ATP) that inhibited receptors without activating them. We termed the latter high-affinity desensitization (HAD). Recovery from fast desensitization or HAD was slow and agonist-dependent. When comparing several agonists, there was analogous ranking order for agonist potency, rate of desensitization and HAD effectiveness, with 2-methylthioadenosine triphosphate the strongest and beta,gamma-methylene-ATP the weakest. HAD was less developed with recombinant (ATP IC50 = 390 nM) than native P2X3 receptors (IC50 = 2.3 nM). HAD could also be induced by nanomolar ATP when receptors seemed to be nondesensitized, indicating that resting receptors could express high-affinity binding sites. Desensitization properties were well accounted for by a cyclic model in which receptors could be desensitized from either open or closed states. Recovery was assumed to be a multistate process with distinct kinetics dependent on the agonist-dependent dissociation rate from desensitized receptors. Thus, the combination of agonist-specific mechanisms such as desensitization onset, HAD, and resensitization could shape responsiveness of sensory neurons to P2X3 receptor agonists. By using subthreshold concentrations of an HAD-potent agonist, it might be possible to generate sustained inhibition of P2X3 receptors for controlling chronic pain.1 aSokolova, Elena1 aSkorinkin, Andrei1 aMoiseev, Igor1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aNistri, Andrea1 aGiniatullin, Rashid uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/497402094nas a2200121 4500008004300000245013000043210006900173520162100242100002501863700003001888700001801918856003601936 2005 en_Ud 00aOn curvatures and focal points of distributions of dynamical Lagrangian distributions and their reductions by first integrals0 acurvatures and focal points of distributions of dynamical Lagran3 aPairs (Hamiltonian system, Lagrangian distribution), called dynamical Lagrangian distributions, appear naturally in Differential Geometry, Calculus of Variations and Rational Mechanics. The basic differential invariants of a dynamical Lagrangian distribution w.r.t. the action of the group of symplectomorphisms of the ambient symplectic manifold are the curvature operator and the curvature form. These invariants can be seen as generalizations of the classical curvature tensor in Riemannian Geometry. In particular, in terms of these invariants one can localize the focal points along extremals of the corresponding variational problems. In the present paper we study the behavior of the curvature operator, the curvature form and the focal points of a dynamical Lagrangian distribution after its reduction by arbitrary first integrals in involution. The interesting phenomenon is that the curvature form of so-called monotone increasing Lagrangian dynamical distributions, which appear naturally in mechanical systems, does not decrease after reduction. It also turns out that the set of focal points to the given point w.r.t. the monotone increasing dynamical Lagrangian distribution and the corresponding set of focal points w.r.t. its reduction by one integral are alternating sets on the corresponding integral curve of the Hamiltonian system of the considered dynamical distributions. Moreover, the first focal point corresponding to the reduced Lagrangian distribution comes before any focal point related to the original dynamical distribution. We illustrate our results on the classical $N$-body problem.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aChtcherbakova, Natalia N.1 aZelenko, Igor uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/225400867nas a2200121 4500008004100000245005700041210005000098260001800148520049700166100002500663700002100688856003600709 2003 en d00aOn the local structure of optimal trajectories in R30 alocal structure of optimal trajectories in R3 bSISSA Library3 aWe analyze the structure of a control function u(t) corresponding to an optimal trajectory for the system $\\\\dot q =f(q)+u\\\\, g(q)$ in a three-dimensional manifold, near a point where some nondegeneracy conditions are satisfied. The kind of optimality which is studied includes time-optimality. The control turns out to be the concatenation of some bang and some singular arcs. Studying the index of the second variation of the switching times, the number of such arcs is bounded by four.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aSigalotti, Mario uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/161201353nas a2200121 4500008004300000245003200043210003200075260001300107520103200120100002501152700001801177856003601195 2002 en_Ud 00aGeometry of Jacobi Curves I0 aGeometry of Jacobi Curves I bSpringer3 aJacobi curves are deep generalizations of the spaces of \\\"Jacobi fields\\\" along Riemannian geodesics. Actually, Jacobi curves are curves in the Lagrange Grassmannians. In our paper we develop differential geometry of these curves which provides basic feedback or gauge invariants for a wide class of smooth control systems and geometric structures. Two principal invariants are the generalized Ricci curvature, which is an invariant of the parametrized curve in the Lagrange Grassmannian endowing the curve with a natural projective structure, and a fundamental form, which is a fourth-order differential on the curve. The so-called rank 1 curves are studied in more detail. Jacobi curves of this class are associated with systems with scalar controls and with rank 2 vector distributions.\\nIn the forthcoming second part of the paper we will present the comparison theorems (i.e., the estimates for the conjugate points in terms of our invariants( for rank 1 curves an introduce an important class of \\\"flat curves\\\".1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aZelenko, Igor uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/311000314nas a2200109 4500008004100000245003300041210003300074260001800107100002500125700001800150856003600168 2002 en d00aGeometry of Jacobi curves II0 aGeometry of Jacobi curves II bSISSA Library1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aZelenko, Igor uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/158900364nas a2200109 4500008004100000245005900041210005100100260001800151100002500169700002400194856003600218 2001 en d00aOn the subanalyticity of Carnot-Caratheodory distances0 asubanalyticity of CarnotCaratheodory distances bSISSA Library1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aGauthier, Jean-Paul uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/148300974nas a2200121 4500008004300000245004200043210004200085260001300127520063300140100002500773700001800798856003600816 2000 en_Ud 00aPrincipal invariants of Jacobi curves0 aPrincipal invariants of Jacobi curves bSpringer3 aJacobi curves are far going generalizations of the spaces of \\\"Jacobi fields\\\" along Riemannian geodesics. Actually, Jacobi curves are curves in the Lagrange Grassmannians. Differential geometry of these curves provides basic feedback or gauge invariants for a wide class of smooth control systems and geometric structures. In the present paper we mainly discuss two principal invariants: the generalized Ricci curvature, which is an invariant of the parametrized curve in the Lagrange Grassmanian providing the curve with a natural projective structure, and a fundamental form, which is a 4-oder differential on the curve.1 aAgrachev, Andrei, A.1 aZelenko, Igor uhttp://hdl.handle.net/1963/3825