Currier E. - The Problem of The Calculus of Variations in M-Space With End-Points Variable On Two Manifolds (1930)

248 MA THEMA TICS: E. CURRIER PROC. N. A. S.
7Loc. cit., reference 1, pp. 106-107.

8 H. A. Schwartz, "Gesammelte math. Abhandlungen," 1, pp. 111, note (7).
9 L. Bieberbach, "UYber die konforme Kreisabbildung nahezu kreisformiger Bereiche,"
Sitzungsber. preuss. Akadie. Wiss., Math.-Phys. Klasse, 1924, pp. 181-188.
10 F. Riesz, "Utber die Randwerte einer analytischen Funktion," Math. Zeitschrift,
8, 1923, p. 95.
11 Cf. Ker6kjArto, "Vorlesungen uber Topologie," passim.
12 I found this theorem in trying to verify the statement of Schwartz referred to in 3;
§
I developed its proof, in a more general form, in a talk in the math. colloquium in
Leipzig, June, 1925.
13 T. Rad6, Aufgabe, 41, and H. Kneser, Losung der Aufgabe, 41, Jahresbericht der
deutschen Mathematiker- Vereinigung, 35, 1926.
THE PROBLEM OF THE CALCULUS OF VARIATIONS IN

m-SPA CE WITH END-POINTS VARIABLE ON TWO MANIFOLDS
By ELDRZD CURRZR
HARVAR UNIvmRSTY, CAMRIDG, MAss.
Communicated February 3, 1930
The results which we shall state in this paper have been proved in detail
and will be published at an early date.
We are concerned with a calculus of variations problem in the ordinary
parametric form, with an integrand which is positive, of class C4, and
homogeneous in the usual way.' The domain of the coordinates is a
closed region R in m-space.
Let g be an extremal segment in R, and let M, and M, be two regular
manifolds of class C3 and of dimensionalities r and s, respectively, (O . r,
s . m - 1) which cut g transversally at the distinct points A and B,
respectively. Suppose that the integrand F is positively regular along g.
Let K be the class of all regular curves of class D', whose end-points
lie on Mr and M3, respectively. The classical problem of the calculus of
variations is to determine necessary and sufficient conditions that the
integral take on a proper relative minimum along g from Mr to M, with
respect to its values on curves of the class K. In this paper we present
a solution of the problem.
Let Hr be the family of extremals in the neighborhood of g cut trans-
versally by Mr. Let the equations of Hr be given in terms of regular
parameters2 (t, vl, ..., v",) so chosen that (v) = (v0) gives g. We prove
that the equations of Hr can be given in this form with regular parameters.2
Let ai(t), (i, j = ..., rm) be the elements of the jacobian of Hr; with
respect to the parameters (t, v), evaluated at (v) = (v°). Points P on
g at which the determinant of the elements ai3(t) vanishes are said to be
VOL. 16, 1930 MATHEMATICS: E. CURRIER 249
focal points of Mr, and the order of the vanishing of the determinant is
said to be the order of the corresponding focal point. It is proved that
the point A is a focal point of Mr of order n - r, n = m - 1.
Let t = a and t = b (a < b) be the values of the parameter t on g at the
points A and B, respectively. Let the focal points of Mr on g exclusive
of those on a < t < b be the points: t = di, d2, etc., and the points t =cl
c2, etc., where
... .c3 c2 < cl < a < b < di. d2 < d3. . ., etc. (1)
where focal points are counted according to order so that the equality
sign holds between k successive terms of (1) corresponding to a focal point
of order k.
Similarly, let the focal points of M, except those on a < t < b be:
. ..C3 _ C2 < c'- < a <b < d' < d' < d'. . . , etc. (2)
THZORZM 1. In order that the integral takk on a relative minimum along
g it is necessary that there be no focal points of Mr or of M, on a < t < b,
and that:
..C2 c2 cl c,d_ ,2 d2., etc. = = (3)
Let the Weirstrass E-function3 E(z, r, a) be positive for (z, r) in the
neighborhood of (z, z) on g, and (a) any set not (o) nor proportional to
(r). This will be called the Weirstrass condition.
THEoREM 2. Suppose that the integrand F is positively regular along g,
and that the Weirstrass condition is satisfied. In order that the integral take
on a proper relative minimum along g it is sufficient that there be no focal
points of Mr or of M, on a < t < b, and that at least one of the following
conditions be satisfied:
...,c2 <c + 1, <Ic",
dI <d d+1 < d2, ., etc. (4) ..
The necessary and sufficient conditions of theorems one and two, re-
spectively, do not coincide very closely. In the special case of the problem
of the calculus of variations in the plane, conditions (4) are the same as
conditions (3), except for the equality signs. This is because in the plane
n = 1. In this special case, the conditions have been obtained by Bliss.4
We have obtained essentially all the conditions as indicated by the
following two theorems.
THIORZM 3. Assume A and B are not conjugate. Let Z denote any
condition on the relative distribution offocal points which is not a consequence
of the necessary conditions of Theorem 1. There exists a pair of manifolds
M and M' cutting g transversally at A and B, respectively, whose focal points
have a distribution which fails to satisfy the condition 1, and yet for which
g gives a weak minimum.
250 MATHEMATICS: E. CURRIER PROC. N. A. S.
THIkORZM 4. Let there be no pairs of conjugate points on g and let the
Weirstrass and regularity conditions be satisfied. Let 2 be any condition
on the relative distribution of the points dl, ..., d,n and d', ..., d, which is
not a consequence of the sufficient conditions (4) of Theorem 2. There exists
a pair of manifolds M and M' cutting g transversally at A and B, respectively,
whose focal points satisfy the condition 2, and which have no focal points on
a < t < b, and yet for which g fails to give even a weak minimum.
We have obtained other necessary and sufficient conditions which co-
incide more closely than the conditions of theorems one and two.
Let HI be the field of extremals in the neighborhood of g cut trans-
versally by M3, and let bij('y), (i, j = 1 ... ., m) be the elements of the
jacobian of H, with respect to regular parameters ('y, ul, . .., iU.) evaluated
at (u) = (u°), where (u°) is the set of parameters of g in the field H,
Let P be a point on g which is not a focal point of M, or of Ms. Let the
parameters (t, v) and (-y, u) be chosen so that at the point P on g:
aij = bij, (i, j = 1, ...,. m). (5)
THiEORZM 5. The positive and negative type numbers and the nullity of
the form D (v), where:
D(v) = aik Frj (ajh -bih)vhvk (i,ij = 1, ..., m; k, h = 2, ..., m) (6)
are numerical invariants of the point P and the manifolds Mr and M, with
respect to admissible' space transformations and with respect to such admissible
parameter transformations2 as preserve the relationship (5).
The arguments of the partial derivatives of F in (6), are (z, z) on g at
P; and aik, ajh, bjh are taken at P.
THZoRZM 6. A necessary condition that the integral take on a relative
minimum along g is that the form D(v) be positive indefinite, and that there
be no focal points of Mr or of M, on a < t < b.
TzioRum 7. Granting that F is positively regular on g and the Weir-
strass condition is satisfied, a sufficient condition that the integral take on a
proper relative minimum along g is that there be no focal points of Mr or of
M, on a < t < b, and the form D(v) be positive definite.
Thus the problem of the minimum has been solved, but there remains
the general problem of classifying extremal segments g cut transversally
by Mr and M, according to the negative type number and the nullity
of a fundamental quadratic form.
We cut across the segment of g between Mr and M, by p successive
regular n-manifolds t, of class C3 not tangent to g and so close together
that no pairs of conjugate points occur on the closed segments of g between
successive manifolds. ILet R and S be points on Mr and Ms, respectively,
and let Pi be a point on ti. If the points (R, Pi, ..., Pp, S) are close to
VOL. 16, 1930 MA THEMA TICS: E. CURRIER 251
g they can be joined by unique successive extremal segments forming

a broken extremal E. Let (u) be the set of ,u = r + s + pn parameters
of which the first r are regular parameters of the point R on Ml, the next
n are regular parameters of the point P1 on tl, etc., until finally the last s
are regular parameters of the point S on M, The value of the integral
taken along the broken extremal E will be a function of the variables
(u) and will be denoted by J(u). The function J(u) will have a critical
point when (u) = (u0), where (u0) are the parameters of g in the family
of broken extremals E. We define the form Q as
Q = Jijuiuj, (i, j = 1, ...., yA) (7)
where the arguments of the partial derivatives of J are (u0). We classify
the extremal segments cut transversally by Mr and M, according to the
negative type number and the nullity of the form Q.
Let P be any point on the open segment of g between M, and M, which
is not a focal point of Mr or of M,. Let q, be the sum of the orders of
the focal points of Mr on the open segment of g between M, and P, and
let q, be the sum of the orders of the focal points of M, on the open seg-
ment of g between P and M., Let D(v) be the invariant form (6) con-
structed at P.
THIORI3M 8. The nullity of the form Q is equal to the nullity of the form
D(v).
T1EORZM 9. The negative type number of the form Q is equal to
qr + N + q5 (8)
where N is the negative type number of the form D(v).
1 Marston Morse, "The Foundations of the Calculus of Variations in the Large in
m-Space" (first paper), Trans. Amer. Math. Soc., 31 (1929), pp. 380-381.
2 The parameters (t, v) of H, will be said to be regular if the equations are of class
C2, and if (v) = const. gives the members of HN as regular 1-manifolds in terms of the
parameter 1, and if the determinant of ai(t) vanishes, if at all, at isolated points. A
parameter transformation which carries (1, v) into another set of regular parameters
is said to be admissible.
3Bliss, "The Weirstrass E-Function for Problems of the Calculus of Variations in
Space," Trans. Amer. Math. Soc., 15 (1914), pp. 369-378.
4 Bliss, "Jacobi's Criterion When Both End Points Are Variable," Math. Ann.,
58 (1903), p. 70.

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248 MA THEMA TICS: E. CURRIER PROC. N. A. S.

7Loc. cit., reference 1, pp. 106-107.

THE PROBLEM OF THE CALCULUS OF VARIATIONS IN

g they can be joined by unique successive extremal segments forming

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