Lagrange and Finsler Geometry

Since 1992 Finsler geometry, Lagrange geometry and their applications to physics and biology, have been intensive1y studied in the context of a 5-year program called "Memorandum ofUnderstanding", between the University of Alberta and "AL.1. CUZA" University in lasi, Romania. The conference, whose proceedings appear in this collection, belongs to that program and aims to provide a forum for an exchange of ideas and information on recent advances in this field. Besides the Canadian and Romanian researchers involved, the conference benefited from the participation of many specialists from Greece, Hungary and Japan. This proceedings is the second publication of our study group. The first was Lagrange Geometry. Finsler spaces and Noise Applied in Biology and Physics (1]. Lagrange geometry, which is concerned with regular Lagrangians not necessarily homogeneous with respect to the rate (i.e. velocities or production) variables, naturalIy extends Finsler geometry to alIow the study of, for example, metrical structures (i.e. energies) which are not homogeneous in these rates. Most Lagrangians arising in physics falI into this class, for example. Lagrange geometry and its applications in general relativity, unified field theories and re1ativistic optics has been developed mainly by R. Miron and his students and collaborators in Romania, while P. Antonelli and his associates have developed models in ecology, development and evolution and have rigorously laid the foundations ofFinsler diffusion theory [1] .