On the singularities of the exponential map in infinite dimensional Riemannian manifolds (Q2509004)

The authors prove the following theorem: Let \((M, g)\) be a Riemannian Hilbert manifold and let \(\gamma: [a,b)\to M\) be a geodesic \((-\infty< a< b\leq+\infty)\). Then: (a) the set \({\mathcal K}\) of conjugate instants along \(\gamma\) is closed in \([a, b)\); (b) the set of strictly epi-conjugate instants along \(\gamma\) coincides with the set \({\mathcal K}'\) of limit points of \({\mathcal K}\), so that \({\mathcal K}\setminus{\mathcal K}'\subset{\mathcal K}_m\) -- the set of mono-conjugate instants along gamma; (c) if \(M\) is modeled on a separable Hilbert space then \({\mathcal K}_m\) is countable. Conversely, given an interval \([a, b)\), a set \({\mathcal K}\subset(a, b)\) closed in \([a, b)\), a subset \({\mathcal K}_m\) of \({\mathcal K}\) \(({\mathcal K}_m\subset{\mathcal K}\setminus{\mathcal K}')\) and a map \(m:{\mathcal K}_m\to \{1,2,\dots,+\infty\}\) then there exists a conformally flat Riemannian Hilbert manifold \((M, g)\) and a geodesic \(\gamma: [a, b)\to M\) such that the set of conjugate instants along \(\gamma\) is \({\mathcal K}\), the set of monoconjugate instants- \({\mathcal K}_m\) and the multiplicity of each \(t\in{\mathcal K}_m\) is \(m(t)\). If \({\mathcal K}_m\) is countable then one can choose \(M\) to be modeled on a separable Hilbert space. The above theorem gives a complete characterization of the conjugate instants along a geodesic in a Riemannian Hilbert manifold.