On extensions of sub-Riemannian structures on Lie groups

We define the extension of a left-invariant sub-Riemannian structure in terms of an extension of the underlying Lie group and compatibility of the respective distributions and metrics. We show that geodesics of a structure can be lifted to geodesics of any extension of the structure. In the case of central extensions, we show that the normal geodesics of the minimal extension are the projection (in a sense) of the normal geodesics of any other compatible extension. Several illustrative examples are discussed. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.