Finiteness of rank for Grassmann convexity (Q2683203)

A linear homogeneous differential equation of order \(n\) with real time and with coefficients continuously depending on the time on some interval \(I\) is called disconjugate on \(I\) if any of its nonzero solutions has at most \(n-1\) real zeroes on \(I\), counting multiplicities. The Grassmann convexity conjecture, formulated by the second and third authors, gives a conjectural formula for the maximal total number of real zeroes of the consecutive Wronskians of an arbitrary fundamental solution to a disconjugate linear ordinary differential equation. The conjecture can be reformulated in terms of convex curves in the nilpotent lower triangular group. The formula has already been shown to be a correct lower bound and to give a correct upper bound in several small dimensional cases. In this paper the authors obtain a general explicit upper bound.