A Morse complex for Lorentzian geodesics

DOI10.4310/AJM.2008.V12.N3.A3MaRDI QIDQ1002437zbMATH OpenFDO

Authors Alberto Abbondandolo, Pietro Majer

Publication date 26 February 2009

Published in The Asian Journal of Mathematics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/math/0605261

zbMATH Keywords

geodesicLorentzian manifoldMaslov indexMorse complexMorse relations

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Global differential geometry of Lorentz manifolds, manifolds with indefinite metrics (53C50) Variational problems in applications to the theory of geodesics (problems in one independent variable) (58E10)

Abstract: We prove the Morse relations for the set of all geodesics connecting two non-conjugate points on a class of globally hyperbolic Lorentzian manifolds. We overcome the difficulties coming from the fact that the Morse index of every geodesic is infinite, and from the lack of the Palais-Smale condition, by using the Morse complex approach.

Review text

Let \((M,h)\) be a Lorentzian manifold of finite dimension. If \(\gamma\) is a curve in \(M\), the energy functional is defined according to \(E(\gamma)=\frac12 \int_0^1 h(\gamma',\gamma')\). A geodesic is a critical point of \(E\), and unlike the Riemannian case, all critical points of \(E\) have infinite Morse index \(i(\gamma)\), so \(i\) is not a suitable invariant to classify all geodesics joining given endpoints. However, a finite relative index can be defined for geodesics in \(M\), and this index is known to be equal to the Maslov index of \(\gamma\). The authors, using the Morse complex approach, prove Morse relations which involve the relative index, analogous to the Morse relations of Riemannian geometry [see for instance \textit{R. S. Palais}, Topology 2, 299--340 (1963; Zbl 0122.10702)], for the set of all geodesics connecting two non-conjugate points in \(M\).

Recommendations

• A Morse index for geodesics in static Lorentz manifolds
• On the Morse inequalities for geodesics on Lorentzian manifolds
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1944462
• Morse theory of causal geodesics in a stationary spacetime via Morse theory of geodesics of a Finsler metric
• A generalized index theorem for Morse-Sturm systems and applications to semi-Riemannian geometry

Cited in

(12)

• On the Morse inequalities for geodesics on Lorentzian manifolds
• Maslov index and Morse theory for the relativistic Lorentz force equation
• Morse relations for geodesics on stationary Lorentzian manifolds with boundary
• The Morse formula for curves which are not locally simple
• On a formula for the spectral flow and its applications
• Lectures on the free period Lagrangian action functional
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1944462 (Why is no real title available?)
• Genericity of nondegeneracy for light rays in stationary spacetimes
• The Morse landscape of a Riemannian disk
• A Morse index for geodesics in static Lorentz manifolds
• Morse theory for geodesics in singular conformal metrics
• Morse theory of causal geodesics in a stationary spacetime via Morse theory of geodesics of a Finsler metric

This page was built for publication: A Morse complex for Lorentzian geodesics

Report a bug (only for logged in users!)Click here to report a bug for this page (MaRDI item Q1002437)