Homoclinic orbits on compact manifolds (Q1177017)

Let \(M\) be a Riemannian manifold. Consider the differential equation \[ D_ t(x'(t))+\hbox{grad }V(x(t))=0,\leqno(1) \] where \(V\in C^ 2(M,{\mathbb{R}})\), \(x'\) is the derivative of the curve \(x(t)\) on \(M\), and \(D_ t(x')\) is the covariant derivative of \(x'\). A homoclinic orbit is a nonconstant curve solving (1) such that \[ \lim_{t\to -\infty} x(t)=\lim_{t\to +\infty} x(t)=x_ 0, \] \[ \lim_{t\to -\infty}x'(t)=\lim_{t\to +\infty} x'(t)=0. \] For a function \(W: M\to {\mathbb{R}}\) of class \(C^ 2\), \(x\in M\), \(v\in T_ x(M)\), set \[ H_ W(x)[v]={d^ 2 \over dt^ 2} (W(\gamma(t))\mid_{t=0}, \] where \(\gamma\) is a geodesic on \(M\), i.e. \(D_ t(\gamma'(t))\equiv 0\), defined in a neighborhood of \(t=0\) such that \(\gamma(0)=x\), \(\gamma'(0)=v\). The main result is the following Theorem: Let \(M\) be a compact Riemannian manifold of class \(C^ 2\), \(V\in C^ 2(M,{\mathbb{R}})\), and \(x_ 0\) the only maximum point of \(V\). Assume that \[ \exists \rho_ 0>0: H_ V(x)[v]<0, \forall x:\hbox{ dist}(x, x_ 0)\leqq \rho_ 0, \forall v\in T_ x(M). \] Then there exists a homoclinic orbit such that \[ \lim_{t\to -\infty} x(t)=\lim_{t\to +\infty} x(t)=x_ 0. \] This is proved in the framework of generalized Morse theory.