Geodesics of a bi-invariant metric are one-parameter subgroups

ID: geodesics-of-a-bi-invariant-metric-are-one-parameter-subgroups

Integral curves through the identity of left-invariant vector fields are one-parameter subgroups, by flow uniqueness and left translation. They extend for all time because a fixed local existence interval translates to every point. Under a bi-invariant Riemannian metric they are geodesics by the Levi-Civita connection of a bi-invariant metric. Geodesic uniqueness proves that these are all geodesics through the identity.

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