Closed geodesics in compact nilmanifolds

We study the density of closed geodesics property on 2-step nilmanifolds Γ\N, where N is a simply connected 2-step nilpotent Lie group with a left invariant Riemannian metric and Lie algebra ?, and Γ is a lattice in N. We show the density of closedgeodesics property holds for quotients of singular, simply connected, 2-step nilpotent Lie groups N which are constructed using irreducible representations of the compact Lie group SU(2). Received: 8 November 2000 / Revised version: 9 April 2001     

On the existence of closed timelike geodesics in compact spacetimes

In [19], Tipler has shown that a compact spacetime having a regular globally hyperbolic covering space with compact Cauchy surfaces necessarily contains a closed timelike geodesic. The restriction to compact spacetimes with just regular globally hyperbolic coverings (i.e., the Cauchy surfaces are not required to be compact) is still an open question. Here, we shall answer this question negatively by providing examples of compact flat Lorentz space forms without closed timelike geodesics, and shall give some criterion for the existence of such geodesics. More generally, we will show that in a compact spacetime having a regular globally hyperbolic covering, each free timelike homotopy class determined by a central deck transformation must contain a closed timelike geodesic. Whether or not a compact flat spacetime contains closed nonspacelike geodesics is, as far as we know, an open question. We shall answer this question affirmatively. We shall also introduce the notion of timelike injectivity radius for a spacetime relative to a free timelike homotopy class and shall show that it is finite whenever the corresponding deck transformation is central. Received: 9 November 1999; in final form: 19 September 2000 / Published online: 25 June 2001     

Index estimates for strongly indefinite functionals, periodic orbits and homoclinic solutions of first order Hamiltonian systems

We improve Benci and Rabinowitz's Linking theorem for strongly indefinite functionals, giving estimates for a suitably defined relative Morse index of critical points. Such abstract result is applied to the existence problem of periodic orbits and homoclinic solutions of first order Hamiltonian systems in cases where the Palais-Smale condition does not hold. Received January 27, 1999 / Accepted January 14, 2000 / Published online July 20, 2000     

Spectral flow and iteration of closed semi-Riemannian geodesics

We introduce the notion of spectral flow along a periodic semi-Riemannian geodesic, as a suitable substitute of the Morse index in the Riemannian case. We study the growth of the spectral flow along a closed geodesic under iteration, determining its asymptotic behavior. M. A. J. is sponsored by Fapesp; P. P. is partially sponsored by CNPq.     

Hyperbolic manifolds are geodesically rigid

We show that if all geodesics of two non-proportional metrics on a closed manifold coincide (as unparameterized curves), then the manifold has a finite fundamental group or admits a local-product structure. This implies that, if the manifold admits a metric of negative sectional curvature, then two metrics on the manifold have the same geodesics if and only if they are proportional. Oblatum 18-IV-2002 & 12-VIII-2002?Published online: 18 December 2002     

On tangent cones of Alexandrov spaces with curvature bounded below

The tangent cones of an inner metric Alexandrov space with finite Hausdorff dimension and a lower curvature bound are always inner metric spaces with nonnegative curvature. In this paper we construct an infinite-dimensional inner metric Alexandrov space of nonnegative curvature which has in one point a tangent cone whose metric is not an inner metric. Received: 20 October 1999 / Revised version: 8 May 2000     

Iteration of closed geodesics in stationary Lorentzian manifolds

Following the lines of Bott in (Commun Pure Appl Math 9:171–206, 1956), we study the Morse index of the iterates of a closed geodesic in stationary Lorentzian manifolds, or, more generally, of a closed Lorentzian geodesic that admits a timelike periodic Jacobi field. Given one such closed geodesic γ, we prove the existence of a locally constant integer valued map Λ_γ on the unit circle with the property that the Morse index of the iterated γ ^N is equal, up to a correction term ε_γ∈{0,1}, to the sum of the values of Λ_γ at the N-th roots of unity. The discontinuities of Λ_γ occur at a finite number of points of the unit circle, that are special eigenvalues of the linearized Poincaré map of γ. We discuss some applications of the theory.     

2-step nilpotent Lie groups of higher rank

We construct a family of simply connected 2-step nilpotent Lie groups of higher rank such that every geodesic lies in a flat. These are as Riemannian manifolds irreducible and arise from real representations of compact Lie algebras. Moreover we show that groups of Heisenberg type do not even infinitesimally have higher rank. Received: 2 July 2001 / Revised version: 19 October 2001     

On transverse Killing fields of metric foliations¶of manifolds with positive curvature

In this paper, we extend a result by H. Takagi on the non-existence of mutually commuting and linearly independent Killing vector fields on positively curved Riemannian manifolds. Further, a kind of “Compact Leaf Theorem” is proved for metric foliations of closed manifolds with positive sectional curvature. Received: 26 May 2000 / Revised version: 28 February 2001     

Finding Einstein solvmanifolds by a variational method

We use a variational approach to prove that any nilpotent Lie algebra having a codimension-one abelian ideal, and anyone of dimension , admits a rank-one solvable extension which can be endowed with an Einstein left-invariant riemannian metric. A curve of -dimensional Einstein solvmanifolds is also given. Received: 29 May 2001; in final form: 4 October 2001 / Published online: 4 April 2002     

Minimal heteroclinic geodesics for the n-torus

This paper gives an extension of earlier work of Morse and of Hedlund on minimal heteroclinic geodesics for to the case of provided that an additional geometrical condition is satisfied. It also gives lower bounds on the number of such geodesics.     

Quantitative estimates for periodic points of reversible and symplectic holomorphic mappings

We show that reversible holomorphic mappings of have periodic points accumulating at an elliptic fixed point of general type. On the contrary, we also show the existence of holomorphic symplectic mappings that have no periodic points of certain periods in a sequence of deleted balls about an elliptic fixed point of general type. The radii of the balls are carefully chosen in terms of the periods, which allows us to show the existence of holomorphic mappi ngs of that are not reversible with respect to any involution with a holomorphic linear part, and that admit no invariant totally real and real surfaces. Received: 5 December 2000 / Published online: 4 April 2002     

Symplectic homology and periodic orbits near symplectic submanifolds

We show that a small neighborhood of a closed symplectic submanifold in a geometrically bounded aspherical symplectic manifold has non-vanishing symplectic homology. As a consequence, we establish the existence of contractible closed characteristics on any thickening of the boundary of the neighborhood. When applied to twisted geodesic flows on compact symplectically aspherical manifolds, this implies the existence of contractible periodic orbits for a dense set of low energy values.     

Volume preserving flows with cyclic winding numbers groups and without periodic orbits on 3-manifolds

We construct examples of volume preserving non-singular C ¹ vector fields on closed orientable 3-manifolds, which have cyclic winding numbers groups with respect to the preserved volume element, but have no periodic orbits. Received: 17 January 1998 / Revised version: 31 March 1998     

Geschlossene hyperbolische 3-Mannigfaltigkeiten sind geodätisch starr

Three-dimensional closed hyperbolic manifolds are geodesically rigid: if two metrics have the same geodesics then they are homothetic.

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Received: 16 March 2001     

All periodic minimizers are unstable

We consider the periodic action functional associated to some Lagrangian verifying the Legendre convexity condition and show that all minimizers are unstable. Supported by D.G.I. MTM2005-03483, Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia, Spain.     

Eigenvalue estimates of the Dirac operator depending on the Ricci tensor

We prove a new lower bound for the first eigenvalue of the Dirac operator on a compact Riemannian spin manifold by refined Weitzenb?ck techniques. It applies to manifolds with harmonic curvature tensor and depends on the Ricci tensor. Examples show how it behaves compared to other known bounds. Received: 20 April 2001 / Published online: 5 September 2002     

Isolating Segments and Anti-Periodic Solutions

 We prove a sufficient condition for the existence of 2 ⁿ (geometrically distinct) solutions of the two point boundary value problem

Crossing estimates for symmetric Markov processes

A crossing estimate is established for symmetric Markov processes on general state spaces. Received: 20 May 1999 / Revised version: 30 August 2000 / Published online: 9 March 2001     

Remarks on η-Einstein unit tangent bundles

We study the geometric properties of the base manifold for the unit tangent bundle satisfying the η-Einstein condition with the canonical contact metric structure. One of the main theorems is that the unit tangent bundle of 4-dimensional Einstein manifold, equipped with the canonical contact metric structure, is η-Einstein manifold if and only if the base manifold is the space of constant sectional curvature 1 or 2. Authors’ addresses: Y. D. Chai, S. H. Chun, J. H. Park, Department of Mathematics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 440-746, Korea; K. Sekigawa, Department of Mathematics, Faculty of Science, Niigata University, Niigata, 950-2181, Japan