Multiple orthogonal geodesic chords in nonconvex Riemannian disks using obstacles

Abstract

We use nonsmooth critical point theory and the theory of geodesics with obstacle to show a multiplicity result about orthogonal geodesic chords in a Riemannian manifold (with boundary) which is homeomorphic to an $N$-disk. This applies to brake orbits in a potential well of a natural Hamiltonian system, providing a further step towards the proof of a celebrated conjecture by Seifert.

24 pages. Accepted for publication on Calc Var PDE