On a Fermat principle in general relativity. A Ljusternik-Schnirelmann theory for light rays (Q1568764)

Ljusternik-Schnirelmann theory is a coarse version of Morse theory. The \textit{Ljusternik-Schnirelmann category} of a topological space \(X\) is the minimal number \(cat(X)\) of closed contractable subsets covering \(X\). If \(X\) is a (Banach) manifold, it is well known that the number of critical points of an arbitrary function \(f\) on \(X\) (satisfying the Palais-Smale condition) is bounded from below by \(cat(X)\). In the present paper this idea is used for the space \(X = L_{p,\gamma}\) of lightlike (future or past directed) curves \(z\) in a Lorentzian manifold \(M\) which join a given point \(p\) to a given timelike curve \(\gamma : \mathbb R \to M\). The rôle of the function \(f\) is played by the \textit{arrival time} \(T(z)\) which is the least time parameter \(t(s)\) such that \(\gamma(t(s)) \in z\). It was proved in an earlier paper of V. Perlick that the critical points of \(T\) are lightlike geodesics. This can be viewed as a relativistic version of Fermat's principle saying that light always minimizes its travel time. The main result is as follows. If \(M\) admits a global time function and \(L_{p,\gamma}\) is nonempty and some compactness assumption (weaker than global hyperbolicity) holds, then the number of critical points of \(T\) (i.e. lightlike geodesics joining p and \(\gamma\)) is bounded from below by \(cat(L_{p,\gamma})\). If this number is bigger than one and \(\gamma\) happens to be the world line of a star which is observed at \(p\), then this object is multiply seen at \(p\) (``gravitational lense effect''). This may happen for topological reasons. E.g. if \(M\) allows an orthogonal splitting \(M = M_o \times \mathbb R\) where the factor \(\mathbb R\) is timelike, then \(L_{p,\gamma}\) is homotopic to the based loop space \(\Omega(M_o)\) which has category \(\infty\) unless \(M_o\) is contractible. In the proof, the Palais-Smale condition is established. However, \(T\) is not a smooth functional; in order to apply the relation between the category and the number of critical points, it must be smoothly approximated.