A quadrangle comparison theorem and its application to soul theory for Alexandrov spaces

We shall derive two sufficient conditions for complete finite-dimensional Alexandrov spaces of nonnegative curvature to be contractible. One of the new technical tools used in our proof is a quadrangle comparison theorem inspired by Perelman.http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000286193500003&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=8e1609b174ce4e31116a60747a720701MathematicsSCI(E)中国科学引文数据库(CSCD)1ARTICLE135-48