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A simple Riemannian manifold has strictly convex boundary, no conjugate points, and a unique connecting geodesic depending smoothly on its endpoints. In particular its unit-speed geodesics are nontrapping. Write $\nu$ for the inward unit normal, and identify inward and outward parts of its boundary unit tangent bundle byThe signs are a convention; here $+$ means inward. If $(x,v)$ is strictly inward, let $\tau (x,v)>0$ be its first exit time. The geodesic scattering relation isThus it records both the exit point and the outward unit velocity, not just the exit point. On strictly outward vectors extend $\alpha$ by following the same geodesic flow backwards to its previous entry point, retaining the velocity orientation. On tangential vectors set $\alpha (x,v)=(x,v)$. The extended scattering relation is an involution on the full boundary unit bundle, since its forward and backward constructions undo one another. On a simple Riemannian manifold, the travel time equals the boundary distance function between the two endpoints; travel time is often recorded separately as lens data.

Let $\rho (x,y)$ be the common boundary distance function, with $x\ne y$. For each metric, the simple Riemannian manifold property gives a unique unit-speed geodesic from $x$ to $y$, smoothly depending on the endpoint pair. Denote its initial and terminal velocities by $v_i,w_i$.

The first variation of geodesic energy, or equivalently length variation at unit speed, gives the endpoint formulaFor completeness, if $J$ is an endpoint variation along a geodesic, differentiating its length and integrating the covariant derivative by parts givesThe integral vanishes by the geodesic equation, leaving precisely these two boundary terms and their opposite signs.

Because the full metrics agree on the boundary tangent spaces $T_{x}M$, the induced boundary metric $h$, unit spheres and inward unit normals agree there. The displayed covectors therefore determine the same tangential velocity components for the two metrics:Their normal components are fixed by unit length and the entry or exit sign. With inward unit normals ${\nu }_x,{\nu }_y$,Strict convexity makes these signs strict for distinct endpoints. Thus $v_1=v_2$ and $w_1=w_2$ for the same endpoint pair.

Now start with any strictly inward $(x,v)$ and let its $g_1$ exit point be $y$. The $g_2$ geodesic joining $x$ to this same $y$ has the same initial velocity $v$, so uniqueness of the geodesic equation identifies it with the $g_2$ trajectory launched from $(x,v)$. Its exit velocity is also the same. HenceThis is the boundary distance determines geodesic scattering argument. The extension to outward vectors follows by the inverse scattering relation, and tangential vectors are fixed for both metrics. Equality of the travel times follows as well, since both equal $\rho (x,y)$.

A simple Riemannian manifold has strictly convex boundary and a unique geodesic between each pair of points, smoothly dependent on its endpoints; there are no conjugate points and no trapped geodesics. Let $\nu$ denote the outward unit normal. For a boundary unit vector with $⟨v,\nu ⟩<0$, follow its unit-speed geodesic ${\gamma }_{x,v}$ until the next boundary intersection at time $\tau (x,v)>0$. Its geodesic scattering relation isThus it maps incoming boundary unit vectors to outgoing ones, recording both exit point and direction.

If the scattering relation is defined on the full boundary unit bundle, extend it on outgoing vectors by following the same oriented geodesic backwards to its previous boundary intersection, and fix tangential vectors. This extension is an involution, because the second application follows the same segment back to its starting point with the same velocity. The exit time is not a component of the scattering relation itself; together with it one obtains lens data. For a simple Riemannian metric, $\tau$ is the boundary distance between the endpoints of the segment.