Topology of cylic configuration spaces and periodic trajectories of multi-dimensional billiards (Q1599628)

The paper deals with billiard dynamical systems in \(\mathbb{R}^{m+1}\) with \(m\geq 3\). The main results are as follows: Let \(X\subset \mathbb{R}^{m+1}\) be a smooth strictly convex hypersurface, topologically, the sphere. Fix an odd number \(n\geq 3\). Let \(D_n\) be the dihedral group. Then the number of distinct \(D_n\)-orbits of \(n\)-periodic billiard trajectories inside \(X\) is not less than \([\log _2(n-1)]+m\). Furthermore, for a generic \(X\), specified in the paper, the number of distinct \(D_n\)-orbits of \(n\)-periodic billiard trajectories inside \(X\) is not less than \((n-1)m\). The proofs are based on equivariant Morse and Ljusternik-Shnirelman theories.