Smooth horizontal reachability in the real Heisenberg group

ID: smooth-horizontal-reachability-in-the-real-heisenberg-group

Every point can be reached from the identity by a smooth curve tangent to the Heisenberg horizontal distribution. Put and choose
Their integrals give , , and . The third coordinate measures the effect of the noncommuting horizontal directions; integrability would instead confine horizontal curves to a two-dimensional leaf.

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