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EDIT: Let $M$ be a smooth compact Riemannian manifold. Let $\varepsilon,\delta>0$. I call a smooth curve $\gamma\colon [a,b]\to M$ an $(\varepsilon,\delta)$-geodesic if for any $t_1<t_2<t_1+\delta$ one has $$dist(\gamma(t_1),\gamma(t_2))\leq length(\gamma[t_1,t_2])\leq (1+\varepsilon)dist(\gamma(t_1),\gamma(t_2)),$$ where $dist$ denotes the Riemannian distance between the two points, and $length(\gamma[t_1,t_2])$ is the length of the curve $\gamma$ between $t_1$ and $t_2$.

Question. Given $M$, do there exist $\varepsilon,\delta, l>0$ such that no $(\varepsilon,\delta)$-geodesic of length less than $l$ is a loop, i.e. $\gamma(a)\ne \gamma(b)$?

Remark. Clearly $0$-geodesics are usual geodesics. If the length of a geodesic is less than the injectivity radius then it cannot be a loop.

This question is a more precise version of "Almost geodesics" in Riemannian manifolds which cannot be loops

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    $\begingroup$ I believe that there is a "dist" missing from the right-hand side of the displayed equation. $\endgroup$
    – Sam Nead
    Commented Feb 9 at 7:09
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    $\begingroup$ Thanks. Corrected. $\endgroup$
    – asv
    Commented Feb 9 at 7:11
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    $\begingroup$ Oh, and perhaps the following is relevant. If $M$ is negatively curved, and and $\delta$ is not too small, then your condition (locally quasi-geodesic) implies the path is globally quasi-geodesic. $\endgroup$
    – Sam Nead
    Commented Feb 9 at 7:12
  • $\begingroup$ @SamNead: Quasi-geodesic, this is the standard name of what I called $\varepsilon$-geodesic? $\endgroup$
    – asv
    Commented Feb 9 at 7:15
  • $\begingroup$ Your $\epsilon$ geodesics are "$\delta$--local $(1 + \epsilon, 0)$--quasi-geodesics". $\endgroup$
    – Sam Nead
    Commented Feb 9 at 8:18

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Assembling my comments into a partial answer:

You may be interested in the theorem that "in the presence of negative curvature, local quasi-geodesics are in fact global quasi-geodesics". Here is a MathStackExchange answer that gives a proof. The comment on the answer gives a reference.

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