Let $X$ be a metric space and $r_1,r_2$ be two geodesic rays.

Proposition 1. $r_1,r_2$ are asymptotic iff their image are of finite Hausdorff distance.

Suppose $X$ is moreover a Busemann space.

Proposition 2. Suppose $r_1,r_2$ start at $p\in X$, then the function $f(t)=|r_1(t)-r_2(t)|$ is increasing and tends to infinity as $t\to\infty$.

This follows directly from the convexity of $f(t)$.

Proposition 3. Suppose $r_1,r_2$ start at $p\in X$, then the followings are equivalent:

(1) $r_1=r_2$;

(2) $r_1,r_2$ are asymptotic;

(3) $r_1,r_2$ are w-asymptotic;

(4) $d_H(\operatorname{Im}(r_1),\operatorname{Im}(r_2))<\infty$.

Proof. (1) $\Leftrightarrow$ (4) is from Prop 1, and (1) $\Rightarrow$ (2) $\Rightarrow$ (3) is obvious, so only need to show (3) $\Rightarrow$ (1).

From the property of a Busemann space,

$$ f(2^kt)\leqslant \frac{1}{2}f(2^{k+1}t). $$

Thus $0=\lim_{t\to\infty}\frac{f(t)}{t}=\lim_{k\to\infty}\frac{f(2^kt_0)}{2^kt_0}\geqslant \frac{f(t_0)}{t_0}$ for any $t_0>0$, which means $r_1=r_2$.

Remark. One can also prove via: if a convex function $\R\to \R_+$ is $o(t)$ as $t\to\infty$, then it must be a constant.

Proposition 4. Let $X$ be a proper Busemann space, $r$ a geodesic ray, $q\in X$. Then there exists a unique geodesic ray $r'$ starting from $q$, which is asymptotic to $r$.

The uniqueness follows from Prop 3, and for existence, we use the Arzela-Ascoli theorem to construct $r'$.

reference/source

https://ems.press/books/irma/16