Periodic orbits and homoclinic loops for surface homeomorphisms (Q5954538)

Let \(p\) be a saddle point for an orientation preserving homeomorphism \(f\) of a surface. Let stable and unstable separatrices of \(p\) intersect at a homoclinic point \(p'\). It is proved that, if the segments of the stable and unstable separatrices defined by the endpoints \(p\) and \(p'\), form a Jordan curve, which bounds a 2-cell \(V\), then for all \(n\neq 0\) the fixed point index of \(f^n\) in \(V\) is 1 or 2. The index depends only on the geometry of \(V\).