Sub-Riemannian structures on groups of diffeomorphisms

Abstract: In this paper, we define and study strong right-invariant sub-Riemannian structures on the group of diffeomorphisms of a manifold with bounded geometry. We derive the Hamiltonian geodesic equations for such structures, and we provide examples of normal and of abnormal geodesics in that infinite-dimensional context. The momentum formulation gives a sub-Riemannian version of the Euler-Arnol'd equation. Finally, we establish some approximate and exact reachability properties for diffeomorphisms, and we give some consequences for Moser theorems.