ODE trajectories as abnormal curves in Carnot groups

Abstract

We prove that for every polynomial ODE there exists a Carnot group where the trajectories of the ODE lift to abnormal curves. The proof defines an explicit construction to determine a covector for the resulting abnormal curves. Using this method we give new examples of abnormal curves in Carnot groups of high step. As a byproduct of the argument, we also prove that concatenations of abnormal curves have abnormal lifts.