Computing the Maslov Index from Singularities of a Matrix Riccati Equation

We study the Maslov index as a tool to analyze stability of steady state solutions to a reaction-diffusion equation in one spatial dimension. We show that the path of unstable subspaces associated to this equation is governed by a matrix Riccati equation whose solution S develops singularities when changes in the Maslov index occur. Our main result proves that at these singularities the change in Maslov index equals the number of eigenvalues of S that increase to minus the number of eigenvalues that decrease to -infinity.