Geodesics in the Engel Group with a Sub-Lorentzian Metric

Let E be the Engel group and D be a rank 2 bracket generating left invariant distribution with a Lorentzian metric, which is a nondegenerate metric of index 1. In this paper, we first study some properties of horizontal curves on E. Second, we prove that time-like normal geodesics are locally maximizers in the Engel group and calculate the explicit expression of non-space-like geodesics.