The Morse index theorem in semi-Riemannian geometry (Q1849799)

The Morse index theorem asserts that the number of conjugate points along a geodesic \(\gamma\) (counted with multiplicities) is equal to the index of the second variation of the Riemannian action functional at the critical point \(\gamma\). Using the notion of the Maslov index, a generalization of the theorem to the case of semi-Riemannian manifolds is proved in the paper. Further generalization to the case of symplectic differential systems is also proved. The main results of the paper were announced in the authors' paper [C. R. Acad. Sci., Paris, Sér. I, Math. 331, 385--389 (2000; Zbl 0980.53095)].