2026-07-072026-07-07http://salesiana.dossiersoluciones.com/handle/123456789/70205Biharmonic maps are the critical points of the bienergy functional and, from this point of view, generalise harmonic maps. We consider the Hopf map $ψ:\s^3\to \s^2$ and modify it into a nonharmonic biharmonic map $ϕ:\s^3\to \s^3$. We show $ϕ$ to be unstable and estimate its biharmonic index and nullity. Resolving the spectrum of the vertical Laplacian associated to the Hopf map, we recover Urakawa's determination of its harmonic index and nullity.17 pagesDifferential Geometry58E20, 31B30On the biharmonic and harmonic indices of the Hopf maptext