Maslov index and Morse theory for the relativistic Lorentz force equation

We study the Jacobi equation for fixed endpoints solutions of the Lorentz force equation on a Lorentzian manifold. The flow of the Jacobi equation along each solution preserves the so-called twisted symplectic form, and the corresponding curve in the symplectic group determines an integer valued homology class called the Maslov index of the solution. We introduce the notion of F-conjugate plane for each conjugate instant; the restriction of the spacetime metric to the F-conjugate plane is used to compute the Maslov index, which is given by a sort of algebraic count of the conjugate instants. For a stationary Lorentzian manifold and an exact electromagnetic field admitting a potential vector field preserving the flow of the Killing vector field, we introduce a constrained action functional having finite Morse index and whose critical points are fixed endpoints solution of the Lorentz force equation. We prove that the value of this Morse index equals the Maslov index and we prove the Morse relations for the solutions of the Lorentz force equation in a static spacetime.Mathematics Subject Classification (2002): Primary: 58E10, 83C10; Secondary: 53D12     

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     

Computation of Morse decompositions for semilinear elliptic PDEs

A numerical method for computing all solutions of an elliptic boundary value problem Au + g[u, λ] = 0 and their Morse indices as steady‐states of the parabolic problem u_t + Au + g[u, λ] = 0 is presented. Morse decompositions are also determined. The method uses a finite element approach that is based on the method of alternative problems. Error estimates for the finite element approximations are verified and examples are given. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 17: 290–312, 2001     

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.     

Low complexity functions and convex sets in \mathbbZk\mathbb{Z}^k

In 1938 Morse and Hedlund proved that a function is periodic if the number of different n-blocks with does not exceed n for some n. In 1940 they studied such functions f with for all positive integers n. These are closely related to Sturmian sequences, which occur in many branches of mathematics, computer science and physics. Recently the authors studied k-dimensional functions with , where is the set of different vectors with for a given configuration . In this paper, we characterize functions satisfying for all configurations . Our proof requires a separation theorem for convex sets of lattice points, which may be of independent interest. Received July 20, 1998     

New bounds for Morse clusters

This paper presents new, simple arguments improving the lower bounds for the total energy and the minimal inter-particle distance in minimal energy atom cluster problems with interactions given by a Morse potential, where the atom separation problem is difficult due to the finite energy at zero atom separation. Apart from being sharper than previously known bounds, they also apply for a wider range ρ ≥ 4.967 of the parameter in the Morse potential. Most results also hold for more general pair potentials.     

Finite Morse Index Implies Finite Ends

We prove that finite Morse index solutions to the Allen-Cahn equation in ℝ² have finitely many ends and linear energy growth. The main tool is a curvature decay estimate on level sets of these finite Morse index solutions, which in turn is reduced to a problem on the uniform second-order regularity of clustering interfaces for the singularly perturbed Allen-Cahn equation. Using an indirect blowup technique, in the spirit of the classical Colding-Minicozzi theory in minimal surfaces, we show that the obstruction to the uniform second-order regularity of clustering interfaces in ℝⁿ is associated to the existence of nontrivial entire solutions to a (finite or infinite) Toda system in ℝ^n–1. For finite Morse index solutions in ℝ², we show that this obstruction does not exist by using information on stable solutions of the Toda system. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

A little microlocal Morse theory

If a complex analytic function, f, has a stratified isolated critical point, then it is known that the cohomology of the Milnor fibre of f has a direct sum decomposition in terms of the normal Morse data to the strata. We use microlocal Morse theory to obtain the same result under the weakened hypothesis that the vanishing cycles along f have isolated support. We also investigate an index-theoretic proof of this fact. Received: 15 September 2000 / Published online: 18 June 2001     

Rigidity and gluing for Morse and Novikov complexes

We obtain rigidity and gluing results for the Morse complex of a real-valued Morse function as well as for the Novikov complex of a circle-valued Morse function. A rigidity result is also proved for the Floer complex of a hamiltonian defined on a closed symplectic manifold (M,) with c₁|_2(M)=[]|_2(M)=0. The rigidity results for these complexes show that the complex of a fixed generic function/hamiltonian is a retract of the Morse (respectively Novikov or Floer) complex of any other sufficiently C⁰ close generic function/hamiltonian. The gluing result is a type of Mayer-Vietoris formula for the Morse complex. It is used to express algebraically the Novikov complex up to isomorphism in terms of the Morse complex of a fundamental domain. Morse cobordisms are used to compare various Morse-type complexes without the need of bifurcation theory.     

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.     

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.     

Morse Novikov theory and cohomology with forward supports

We present a new approach to Morse and Novikov theories, based on the deRham Federer theory of currents, using the finite volume flow technique of Harvey and Lawson [HL]. In the Morse case, we construct a noncompact analogue of the Morse complex, relating a Morse function to the cohomology with compact forward supports of the manifold. This complex is then used in Novikov theory, to obtain a geometric realization of the Novikov Complex as a complex of currents and a new characterization of Novikov Homology as cohomology with compact forward supports. Two natural ``backward-forward' dualities are also established: a Lambda duality over the Novikov Ring and a Topological Vector Space duality over the reals.     

Intrinsic third derivatives for Plateau's problem and the Morse inequalities for disc minimal surfaces in ℝ3

Summary A simply branched minimal surface in ³ cannot be a non-degenerate critical point of Dirichlet's energy since the Hessian always has a kernel. However such minimal surface can be non-degenerate in another sense introduced earlier by R. Böhme and the author. Such surfaces arise as the zeros of a vector field on the space of all disc surfaces spanning a fixed contour. In this paper we show that the winding number of this vector field about such a surface is ±2 ^p , wherep is the number of branch points. As a consequence we derive the Morse inequalities for disc minimal surfaces in ³, thereby completing the program initiated by Morse, Tompkins, and Courant. Finally, this result implies that certain contours in ⁴ arbitrarily close to the given contour must span at least 2 ^p disc minimal surfaces.     

Morse-Sard定理在无限维时的一个反例

§ 1　ＩｎｔｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｏｎＴｈｅＭｏｒｓｅ Ｓａｒｄｔｈｅｏｒｅｍｉｓａｆｕｎｄａｍｅｎｔａｌｔｈｅｏｒｅｍｉｎａｎａｌｙｓｉｓ ,ｅｓｐｅｃｉａｌｌｙｉｎｔｈｅｂａｓｉｓｏｆｔｒａｎｓｖｅｒｓａｌｉｔｙｔｈｅｏｒｙａｎｄｄｉｆｆｅｒｅｎｔｉａｌｔｏｐｏｌｏｇｙ .ＴｈｅｃｌａｓｓｉｃａｌＭｏｒｓｅ Ｓａｒｄｔｈｅｏｒｅｍｓｔａｔｅｓｔｈａｔｔｈｅｉｍａｇｅｏｆｔｈｅｓｅｔｏｆｃｒｉｔｉｃａｌｐｏｉｎｔｓｏｆａｆｕｎｃｔｉｏｎ ｆ :Ｒｍ→ＲｌｏｆｃｌａｓｓＣｍ -ｌ+1ｈａｓｚｅｒｏＬｅｂｅｓｇｕｅｍ…     

On the structure of a Morse form foliation

The foliation of a Morse form ω on a closed manifold M is considered. Its maximal components (cylinders formed by compact leaves) form the foliation graph; the cycle rank of this graph is calculated. The number of minimal and maximal components is estimated in terms of characteristics of M and ω. Conditions for the presence of minimal components and homologically non-trivial compact leaves are given in terms of rk ω and Sing ω. The set of the ranks of all forms defining a given foliation without minimal components is described. It is shown that if ω has more centers than conic singularities then b ₁(M) = 0 and thus the foliation has no minimal components and homologically non-trivial compact leaves, its folitation graph being a tree.      

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     

The regular points of simple functions

We extend the work of Ioffe and Lewis [A. Ioffe and A. Lewis, Critical points of simple functions, Optimization, 57 (2008), pp. 3–16] and relate it to the previous work of Morse [M. Morse, Topologically non-degenerate functions in a compact n-manifold, J. Anal. Math. 7 (1959), p. 243]. We show that the concept of regularity for piecewise linear functions can be explained in geometric topological terms and this explanation leads to a unified view of several concepts of regularity for such functions.     

A Morse complex on manifolds with boundary

Given a compact smooth manifold M with non-empty boundary and a Morse function, a pseudo-gradient Morse-Smale vector field adapted to the boundary allows one to build a Morse complex whose homology is isomorphic to the (absolute or relative to the boundary) homology of M with integer coefficients. Our approach simplifies other methods which have been discussed in more specific geometric settings.     

Antiperfect morse stratification

For an equivariant Morse stratification that contains a unique open stratum, we introduce the notion of equivariant antiperfection, which means the difference of the equivariant Morse series and the equivariant Poincaré series achieves the maximal possible value (instead of the minimal possible value 0 in the equivariantly perfect case). We also introduce a weaker condition of local equivariant antiperfection. We prove that the Morse stratification of the Yang-Mills functional on the space of connections on a principal G-bundle over a connected, closed, nonorientable surface Σ is locally equivariantly \mathbbQ{\mathbb{Q}}-antiperfect when G = U(2), SU(2), U(3), SU(3); we propose that the Morse stratification is actually equivariantly \mathbbQ{\mathbb{Q}}-antiperfect in these cases. Our proposal yields formulas of Poincaré series P_t^G(Hom(p₁(S),G);\mathbbQ){P_t^G({\rm Hom}(\pi_1(\Sigma),G);\mathbb{Q})} when G = U(2), SU(2), U(3), SU(3). Our U(2), SU(2) formulas agree with formulas proved by T. Baird, who also verified our conjectural U(3) formula.     

Size Functions from a Categorical Viewpoint

A new categorical approach to size functions is given. Using this point of view, it is shown that size functions of a Morse map, f: M can be computed through the 0-dimensional homology. This result is extended to the homology of arbitrary degree in order to obtain new invariants of the shape of the graph of the given map.