The algebraic construction of the Novikov complex of a circle-valued Morse function

Abstract.

The Novikov complex of a circle-valued Morse function $f:M\to S^1$ is constructed algebraically from the Morse-Smale complex of the restriction of the real-valued Morse function $\overline{f}:\overline{M} \to {\Bbb R}$ to a fundamental domain of the pullback infinite cyclic cover $\overline{M}=f^*{\Bbb R}$ of M.