Grassmann convexity and multiplicative Sturm theory, revisited

Abstract

In this paper we settle a special case of the Grassmann convexity conjecture formulated earlier by B.and M.Shapiro. We present a conjectural formula for the maximal total number of real zeros of the consecutive Wronskians of an arbitrary fundamental solution to a disconjugate linear ordinary differential equation with real time. We show that this formula gives the lower bound for the required total number of real zeros for equations of an arbitrary order and, using our results on the Grassmann convexity, we prove that the aforementioned formula is correct for equations of orders $4$ and $5$.