Does an exponential map defined on all of $T_p M$ for one $p$ imply completeness

differential-geometrygeodesicriemannian-geometry

Let $M$ be a connected Riemannian manifold. Hopf-Rinow states that if $\exp_p$ is defined on all of $T_p M$ for all $p \in M$, then $M$ is geodesically complete.

I'm wondering whether it is sufficient for $\exp_p$ to be defined on the whole tangent space for one $p \in M$.
(If you go with the interpretation that geodesic incompleteness comes from "cuts" or "holes" in your manifold, then the exponential map should be able to "see" these.)

Best Answer

Yes it is sufficient, as explains Jack Lee in the comment I posted. You can find in his book Riemannian Manifolds: An Introduction to Curvature the following corollary of Hopf-Rinow theorem.

Corollary 6.14: If there exists one point $p ∈ M$ such that the restricted exponential map $\exp_p$ is defined on all of $T_p M$, then $M$ is complete.

It is more a corollary of the proof of Hopf-Rinow, not really of the theorem itself.

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