Lorentzian manifolds with no null conjugate points

Abstract

An integral inequality for a compact Lorentzian manifold which admits a timelike conformal vector field and has no conjugate points along its null geodesics is given. Moreover, equality holds if and only if the manifold has nonpositive constant sectional curvature. The inequality can be improved if the timelike vector field is assumed to be Killing and, in this case, the equality characterizes (up to a finite covering) flat Lorentzian torus with no conjugate points along its timelike geodesics and admitting a timelike Killing vector field must be flat.