On a theorem by Ekeland-Hofer (Q1758987)

In this paper the authors prove a new version of a theorem first proved by \textit{I. Ekeland} and \textit{H. Hofer} [J. Math. Pures Appl. (9) 68, No. 4, 467--489 (1989; Zbl 0709.58017)]. A hypersurface \(S\subset \mathbb{R}^{2n}\) carries a rank-1 foliation \(L_S\) determined by the kernel of the standard symplectic form \(\omega\) on \(\mathbb{R}^{2n}\) restricted to \(S\). The hypersurface \(S\) is said to be of restricted contact type if there exists a 1-form \(\lambda\in \Omega^1(\mathbb{R}^{2n})\) with \( d \lambda=\omega \) and \(\lambda(v)\neq0\) for all \(v\in T L_S\). The hypersurface \(S\) is called \(\mathbb{Z}/2\)-invariant if it is invariant under the involution \(I:\mathbb{R}^{2n}\to \mathbb{R}^{2n}\) given by \(I(x)=-x\). Define \[ D:=\{\phi\in \mathrm{Symp}(\mathbb{R}^{2n}) \; | \; \phi\circ I = I \circ\phi \}. \] If \(t\mapsto\psi_t\) is an isotopy in \(D\), then a point \(x\in S\) such that \(\psi_1(x) \in L_S(x)\) is called a leaf-wise intersection point. In the article under review, the authors prove the following theorem: Assume \(S\subset \mathbb{R}^{2n}\) is a connected, compact, \(\mathbb{Z}/2\)-invariant, star-shaped hypersurface. Let \(\psi_t\) is an isotopy in \(D\). Then, there exist infinitely many leaf-wise intersection points on \(S\) or there exists a leaf-wise intersection point \(y\) such that the leaf \(L_S(y)\) is closed, that is, \(L_S(y)\) is a closed characteristic. This result has stronger hypotheses than the result proved by Ekeland and Hofer, as it adds the assumption that \(S\) is star-shaped. The conclusions are also stronger. The proof of the theorem involves Rabinowitz Floer homology. The boundary operator is defined by counting gradient flow lines with cascades.