Conjugacy for normal or abnormal linear Bolza problems

For certain Bolza problems with linear dynamics, two sets extending the notion of conjugate points in the calculus of variations are introduced. Independently of nonsingularity assumptions, their emptiness, in one case without normality assumptions, is shown to be equivalent to a second order necessary condition. A comparison with other notions available in the literature is given.  2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved