Odd-parity pertubations of spherically symmetric star clusters in general relativity

The theory of odd-parity nonspherical peturbations of collisionless, isotropic, spherically symmetric star clusters is developed within general relativity for l> or =2. A variational principle is derived for the associated normal modes of oscillation. The variational expression reveals that an unstable normal mode has a pure exponentially growing time dependence--the corresponding complex ''eigenfrequency'' is purely imaginary--and hence that a normal mode can become unstable in a smooth fashion only thorugh zero frequency. Further, it is shown that no instabilities can set in through zero-frequency modes along smooth sequences of models with fewer high-energy stars than low-energy stars. Unless unstable normal modes suddenly appear in a nonsmooth fashion, the implications is that these models possess no unstable normal modes