Conjugate points and Maslov index in locally symmetric semi-Riemannian manifolds (Q2432702)

This paper deals with the study of the singularities of the exponential map in locally symmetric semi-Riemannian manifolds. In a first algebraic section, the authors introduce the so-called Jordan signature associated with a \(g\)-symmetric endomorphism of \(\mathbb{R}^n\), \(g\) being a non positive, non degenerate symmetric bilinear form. Then, they are able to determine all singularities of the exponential map in a locally symmetric semi-Riemannian manifold \((M,g)\), to characterize degenerate singularities and to state some formulas useful to compute an integer invariant for geodesics, the Maslov index. Namely, they obtain that the singularities of the exponential map are zeroes of the solutions of the Jacobi equations along a geodesic and their existence depends on the existence of negative real eigenvalues of the curvature tensor. Moreover, such singularities are degenerate if and only if \(g\) is degenerate when restricted to negative eigenspaces. When the manifold is a Lie group \(G\) with a bi-invariant metric \(h\), the conjugate points are determined by the purely imaginary eigenvalues of the adjoint map and their multiplicity is an even number. Furthermore if \(h\) is a Lorentzian metric and \(\dim G\leq 6\) then the Maslov index of a geodesic equals the number of conjugate points along the geodesic, computed with the corresponding multiplicity. Finally, the Conley-Zehnder index is computed for systems arising from the Jacobi equation.