On the existence of connecting orbits for critical values of the energy (Q2411388)

Consider a \(C^2\) potential \(U(x)\) in \(\mathbb R^n\) and let \(\Omega\) be a connected set on which \(U(x) > 0\). The set \(\partial \Omega\) is thus part of the zero energy level for the potential (this can of course be any level set, just shifting the potential), and one assumes it contains at most a finite set \(P\) of critical points for \(U\). Assume moreover \(\partial \Omega\) is compact and is the union of \(N \geq 1\) distinct nonempty connected components \(\Gamma_1 ,\dots, \Gamma_N \). If \(\Gamma_i\) has positive diameter and \(p \in P \cap \Gamma_i\), then one requires that \(p\) is hyperbolic. Moreover, if \(N \geq 2\), one requires that if \(\Omega\) is unbounded there are \(r_0 >0\) and a non-negative function \(\sigma : [r_0 , \infty) \to \mathbb R_+\) such that \(\int_{r_0}^\infty \sigma (r) \;d r \;= \;\infty\) and \(\sqrt{U(x) } \geq \sigma (|x|)\) for \(x \in \Omega\), \(|x| \geq r_0\). Then for each \(\Gamma_- \in \{\Gamma_1 , \dots, \Gamma_N \}\) there exist \(\Gamma_+ \in \{ \Gamma_1 , \dots, \Gamma_N \}\), \(\Gamma_+ \not= \Gamma_-\), and a map \(u^* : (T_-, T_+) \to \Omega\) (with \(- \infty \leq T_- < T_+ \leq \infty\)) such that the distance of the gradient flow for the potential \(U\) from \(\Gamma_\pm\) goes to zero for \(t \to T_\pm\). Moreover \(T_- > - \infty\) (\(T_+ < \infty\)) if and only if \(\Gamma_-\) (\(\Gamma_+\)) has positive diameter. In this case \(\lim_{t \to T_-} u^* (t) = x_-\), \(\lim_{t \to T_-} \dot{u}^* (t) = 0\) for some \(x_- \in \Gamma_- \backslash P\), and similarly for \(T_+,t^+,x_+\). If \(U\) is invariant under the antipodal map, i.e., if \(U(-x) = U(x)\), then similar results apply for trajectories with \(u^*(0)=0\). These results allow to obtain corollaries concerning the existence of nontrivial homoclinic, heteroclinic and periodic orbits connecting the sets \(\Gamma_i\). Some examples are considered.