A bifurcation result for semi-Riemannian trajectories of the Lorentz force equation

We obtain a bifurcation result for solutions of the Lorentz equation in a semi-Riemannian manifold; such solutions are critical points of a certain strongly indefinite functionals defined in terms of the semi-Riemannian metric and the electromagnetic field. The flow of the Jacobi equation along each solution preserves the so-called electromagnetic symplectic form, and the corresponding curve in the symplectic group determines an integer valued homology class called the Maslov index of the solution.We study electromagnetic conjugate instants with symplectic techniques, and we prove at first, an analogous of the semi-Riemannian Morse Index Theorem (see (Calculus of Variations, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA, 1963)). By using this result, together with recent results on the bifurcation for critical points of strongly indefinite functionals (see (J. Funct. Anal. 162(1) (1999) 52)), we are able to prove that each non-degenerate and non-null electromagnetic conjugate instant along a given solution of the semi-Riemannian Lorentz force equation is a bifurcation point.     

Morse theory for periodic solutions of hamiltonian systems and the maslov index

In this paper we prove Morse type inequalities for the contractible 1-periodic solutions of time dependent Hamiltonian differential equations on those compact symplectic manifolds M for which the symplectic form and the first Chern class of the tangent bundle vanish over π₂ (M). The proof is based on a version of infinite dimensional Morse theory which is due to Floer. The key point is an index theorem for the Fredholm operator which plays a central role in Floer homology. The index formula involves the Maslov index of nondegenerate contractible periodic solutions. This Maslov index plays the same role as the Morse index of a nondegenerate critical point does in finite dimensional Morse theory. We shall use this connection between Floer homology and Maslov index to establish the existence of infinitely many periodic solutions having integer periods provided that every 1-periodic solution has at least one Floquet multiplier which is not equal to 1.     

Computation of the Maslov index and the spectral flow via partial signatures

Given a smooth Lagrangian path, both in the finite and in the infinite dimensional (Fredholm) case, we introduce the notion of partial signatures at each isolated intersection of the path with the Maslov cycle. For real-analytic paths, we give a formula for the computation of the Maslov index using the partial signatures; a similar formula holds for the spectral flow of real-analytic paths of Fredholm self-adjoint operators on real separable Hilbert spaces. As applications of the theory, we obtain a semi-Riemannian version of the Morse index theorem for geodesics with possibly conjugate endpoints, and we prove a bifurcation result at conjugate points along semi-Riemannian geodesics. To cite this article: R. Giambò et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 338 (2004).     

A symplectic perspective on constrained eigenvalue problems

The Maslov index is a powerful tool for computing spectra of selfadjoint, elliptic boundary value problems. This is done by counting intersections of a fixed Lagrangian subspace, which designates the boundary conditions, with the set of Cauchy data for the differential operator. We apply this methodology to constrained eigenvalue problems, in which the operator is restricted to a (not necessarily invariant) subspace. The Maslov index is defined and used to compute the Morse index of the constrained operator. We then prove a constrained Morse index theorem, which says that the Morse index of the constrained problem equals the number of constrained conjugate points, counted with multiplicity, and give an application to the nonlinear Schrödinger equation.     

Maslov P-Index Theory for a Symplectic Path with Applications

Abstract The Maslov P-index theory for a symplectic path is defined. Various properties of this index theory such as homotopy invariant, symplectic additivity and the relations with other Morse indices are studied. As an application, the non-periodic problem for some asymptotically linear Hamiltonian systems is considered. *Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.10531050) and FANEDD.     

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.     

The Relation of the Morse Index of Closed Geodesics with the Maslov-type Index of Symplectic Paths

In this paper, we consider the relation of the Morse index of a closed geodesic with the Maslov–type index of a path in a symplectic group. More precisely, for a closed geodesic c on a Riemannian manifold M with its linear Poincaré map P (a symplectic matrix), we construct a symplectic path γ(t) starting from identity I and ending at P, such that the Morse index of the closed geodesic c equals the Maslov–type index of γ. As an application of this result, we study the parity of the Morse index of any closed geodesic. Project 10071040 supported by NNSF, 200014 supported by Excellent. Ph.D. Funds of ME of China, and PMC Key Lab. of ME of China     

A relative morse index for the symplectic action

The notion of a Morse index of a function on a finite-dimensional manifold cannot be generalized directly to the symplectic action function a on the loop space of a manifold. In this paper, we define for any pair of critical points of a a relative Morse index, which corresponds to the difference of the two Morse indices in finite dimensions. It is based on the spectral flow of the Hessian of a and can be identified with a topological invariant recently defined by Viterbo, and with the dimension of the space of trajectories between the two critical points.     

Multiple periodic solutions for non-canonical Hamiltonian systems with application to differential delay equations

We first establish Maslov index for non-canonical Hamiltonian system by using symplectic transformation for Hamiltonian system. Then the existence of multiple periodic solutions for the non-canonical Hamiltonian system is obtained by applying the Maslov index and Morse theory. As an application of the results, we study a class of non-autonomous differential delay equation which can be changed to non-canonical Hamiltonian system and obtain the existence of multiple periodic solutions for the equation by employing variational method.     

Line integration of Ricci curvature and conjugate points in Lorentzian and Riemannian manifolds

Generalizing results of Cohn-Vossen and Gromoll, Meyer for Riemannian manifolds and Hawking and Penrose for Lorentzian manifolds, we use Morse index theory techniques to show that if the integral of the Ricci curvature of the tangent vector field of a complete geodesic in a Riemannian manifold or of a complete nonspacelike geodesic in a Lorentzian manifold is positive, then the geodesic contains a pair of conjugate points. Applications are given to geodesic incompleteness theorems for Lorentzian manifolds, the end structure of complete noncompact Riemannian manifolds, and the geodesic flow of compact Riemannian manifolds.Partially supported by NSF grant MCS77-18723(02).     

A Morse Index Theorem for Elliptic Operators on Bounded Domains

Given a selfadjoint, elliptic operator L, one would like to know how the spectrum changes as the spatial domain Ω ? ? ⁿ is deformed. For a family of domains {Ω _t } _{t∈[a, b]} we prove that the Morse index of L on Ω _a differs from the Morse index of L on Ω _b by the Maslov index of a path of Lagrangian subspaces on the boundary of Ω. This is particularly useful when Ω _a is a domain for which the Morse index is known, e.g. a region with very small volume. Then the Maslov index computes the difference of Morse indices for the “original” problem (on Ω _b ) and the “simplified” problem (on Ω _a ). This generalizes previous multi-dimensional Morse index theorems that were only available on star-shaped domains or for Dirichlet boundary conditions. We also discuss how one can compute the Maslov index using crossing forms, and present some applications to the spectral theory of Dirichlet and Neumann boundary value problems.     

Conditional extremals in complete Riemannian manifolds

Conditional extremal curves in a complete Riemannian manifold M are defined as the critical points of the squared L² distance between the tangent vector field of a curve and a so-called prior vector field. We prove that this L² distance satisfies the Palais-Smale condition on the space of absolutely continuous curves joining two submanifolds of M, and thus establish the existence of critical points. We also prove a Morse index theorem in the case where the two submanifolds are single points, and use the Morse inequalities to place lower bounds on the number of critical points of each index.     

Perturbed closed geodesics are periodic orbits: Index and transversality

We study the classical action functional ${\cal S}_V$ on the free loop space of a closed, finite dimensional Riemannian manifold M and the symplectic action on the free loop space of its cotangent bundle. The critical points of both functionals can be identified with the set of perturbed closed geodesics in M. The potential $V\in C^\infty(M\times S^1,\mathbb{R})$ serves as perturbation and we show that both functionals are Morse for generic V. In this case we prove that the Morse index of a critical point x of equals minus its Conley-Zehnder index when viewed as a critical point of and if is trivial. Otherwise a correction term +1 appears. Received: 21 May 2001; in final form: 10 October 2001 / Published online: 4 April 2002     

On the spectral flow in Lorentzian manifolds

In this paper we use functional analytical techniques to determine the differential equation satisfied by the eigenvalues of a smooth family of Fredholm operators, obtained from the index form along a Lorentzian geodesic. The formula is then applied to the study of the evolution of the index function, and, using a perturbation argument, we prove a version of the classical Morse index theorem for stationary Lorentzian manifolds. Received: January 31, 2000; in final form: March 13, 2002?Published online: February 20, 2003 The second author is partially sponsored by CNPq (Brazil), Grant 200615/01-7.     

Spectral Flow,Maslov Index and Bifurcation of Semi-Riemannian Geodesics

We give a functional analytical proof of the equalitybetween the Maslov index of a semi-Riemannian geodesicand the spectral flow of the path of self-adjointFredholm operators obtained from the index form. This fact, together with recent results on the bifurcation for critical points of strongly indefinite functionals imply that each nondegenerate and nonnull conjugate (or P-focal)point along a semi-Riemannian geodesic is a bifurcation point.In particular, the semi-Riemannian exponential map is notinjective in any neighborhood of a nondegenerate conjugate point,extending a classical Riemannian result originally due to Morse and Littauer.     

Magnetic trajectories in three-dimensional Lie groups

We study magnetic trajectories in Lie groups equipped with bi-invariant Riemannian metric. We define the Lorentz force of a magnetic field in a Lie group G, and then, we give the Lorentz force equation for the associated magnetic trajectories that are curves in G. When the manifold is a Lie group G equipped with bi-invariant Riemannian metric, we derive differential equation system that characterizes magnetic flow associated with the Killing magnetic curves with regard to the Lie reduction of the curve γ in G.     

Invariant measures of Hamiltonian systems with prescribed asymptotic Maslov index

We study the properties of the asymptotic Maslov index of invariant measures for time-periodic Hamiltonian systems on the cotangent bundle of a compact manifold M. We show that if M has finite fundamental group and the Hamiltonian satisfies some general growth assumptions on the momenta, then the asymptotic Maslov indices of periodic orbits are dense in the half line [0,+∞). Furthermore, if the Hamiltonian is the Fenchel dual of an electromagnetic Lagrangian, then every non-negative number r is the limit of the asymptotic Maslov indices of a sequence of periodic orbits which converges narrowly to an invariant measure with asymptotic Maslov index r. We discuss the existence of minimal ergodic invariant measures with prescribed asymptotic Maslov index by the analogue of Mather’s theory of the beta function, the asymptotic Maslov index playing the role of the rotation vector. Dedicated to Vladimir Igorevich Arnold     

Universal Maslov class of a Bohr-Sommerfeld Lagrangian embedding into a pseudo-Einstein manifold

We show that in the case of a Bohr-Sommerfeld Lagrangian embedding into a pseudo-Einstein symplectic manifold, a certain universal 1-cohomology class, analogous to the Maslov class, can be defined. In contrast to the Maslov index, the presented class is directly related to the minimality problem for Lagrangian submanifolds if the ambient pseudo-Einstein manifold admits a Kähler-Einstein metric. We interpret the presented class geometrically as a certain obstruction to the continuation of one-dimensional supercycles from the Lagrangian submanifold to the ambient symplectic manifold.     

Isometric,holomorphic and symplectic reflections

As an extension of local geodesic symmetries we study here local reflections with respect to a topologically embedded submanifoldP in a Riemannian manifold (M, g). First we derive a criterion for isometric reflections. Then we study holomorphic and symplectic reflections on an almost Hermitian manifold. In particular we focus on the influence of these reflections on the intrinsic and extrinsic geometry of the submanifold. Finally we treat these three kinds of reflections and their relationship when the ambient manifold is a locally Hermitian symmetric space. The results are derived by the use of Jacobi vector fields.     

Maslov P-Index Theory for a Symplectic Path with Applications

The Maslov P-index theory for a symplectic path is defined. Various properties of this index theory such as homotopy invariant, symplectic additivity and the relations with other Morse indices are studied. As an application, the non-periodic problem for some asymptotically linear Hamiltonian systems is considered.