Bifurcations for Lagrangian systems and geodesics I

Abstract

This paper is Part I of a two-part series. We investigate bifurcation phenomena in Lagrangian systems with various boundary conditions and constraints, focusing on the interplay between Morse theory and the existence of multiple solutions through three principal configurations: Lagrangian trajectories connecting two submanifolds or with endpoints related by an isometry, and brake orbits in Lagrangian systems. For each configuration, we establish necessary and sufficient conditions for bifurcation using Morse index and nullity techniques, including classification of Rabinowitz-type alternative bifurcation scenarios. For Euler-Lagrange curves emanating perpendicularly from a submanifold, we develop a unified Morse-theoretic framework that rigorously connects geometric focal structure (e.g., conjugate points) and analytic bifurcation behavior (e.g., solution branching patterns).