Introduction, Definitions and TheoremThe aim of this paper is to extend parts of R. C. Robinsons work on generic properties of Hamiltonian systems [7]. We first give some definitions.Let M be a 2n-dimensional C°-manifold with symplectic form co (i.e. co is a closed 2-form and co A---A co (n-times) is a nowhere zero volume form). A Hamiltonian system on M is a vectorfield X such that the 1-form Zxco is exact (i.e. txCO is the differential of a function). In general a Hamiltonian system is given by a function H : M ~IIL the Hamiltonian; the correspondin 9 vectorfield X n on M is then determined by the equation txnC0 = dH. We say that the Hamiltonian system, defined by H :The flow ~n : Un ~ M, U u an open subset of M × IlL of the Hamiltonian H is the map defined by: (i) ~H(m, 0) = m for each m ~ m (m × {0} CUn). (ii) t~.~n(m, t) is the integral curve of Xn through m. (iii) U H is the largest connected open subset of M × IR on which ~n can be defined.IfH is C k+l, ~n is Ck; for more details see S. Lang [4]. A closed orbit ? of a Hamiltonian system is a subset of M which is of the form ~n (m, [0, t]) where ~n(m, t): ~n(m, 0)=m and @n(m, t')~m for all t'e (0, t); t is called the period of ?. In order to study the properties of the flow @H near a closed orbit y, we introduce a flowbox with local section and a Poincar6 map for y.For m ~ ? (dH),. 4= O. Then, by the flowbox theorem [2], there is a neighbourhood U ofm and a map A: U~IR 2" such that: Xl ..... x,, Yl ..... y. are the coordinate funci fions on IR2".
HJU=y~oA.A is called a flowbox at m. The local section Z,,,,a is defined by X,,,a=A-l({xl =x~(A(m))}). Z,. is called a local section at m if it can be obtained in the above way from some flowbox at m. Notice that A.(Xn) = O/Ox~ ; so Xu is nowhere tangent to Z,,.