Two-dimensional Fuchsian systems and the Chebyshev property

Let (x(t),y(t))^? be a solution of a Fuchsian system of order two with three singular points. The vector space of functions of the form P(t)x(t)+Q(t)y(t), where P,Q are real polynomials, has a natural filtration of vector spaces, according to the asymptotic behavior of the functions at infinity. We describe a two-parameter class of Fuchsian systems, for which the corresponding vector spaces obey the Chebyshev property (the maximal number of isolated zeros of each function is less than the dimension of the vector space). Up to now, only a few particular systems were known to possess such a non-oscillation property. It is remarkable that most of these systems are of the type studied in the present paper. We apply our results in estimating the number of limit cycles that appear after small polynomial perturbations of several quadratic or cubic Hamiltonian systems in the plane.     

Non-isochronicity of the center in polynomial Hamiltonian systems

In 2002 Jarque and Villadelprat proved that planar polynomial Hamiltonian systems of degree 4 have no isochronous centers and raised an open question for general planar polynomial Hamiltonian systems of even degree. Recently, it was proved that a planar polynomial Hamiltonian system is non-isochronous if a quantity, denoted by M_2m−2, can be computed such that M_2m−2≤0. As a corollary of this criterion, the open question was answered for those systems with only even degree nonlinearities. In this paper we consider the case of M_2m−2>0 and give a new criterion for non-isochronicity. Applying the new criterion, we also answer the open question for some cases in which some terms of odd degree are included.     

Multi-layer canard cycles and translated power functions

The paper deals with two-dimensional slow-fast systems and more specifically with multi-layer canard cycles. These are canard cycles passing through n layers of fast orbits, with n?2. The canard cycles are subject to n generic breaking mechanisms and we study the limit cycles that can be perturbed from the generic canard cycles of codimension n. We prove that this study can be reduced to the investigation of the fixed points of iterated translated power functions.     

On the cyclicity of weight-homogeneous centers

Let W be a weight-homogeneous planar polynomial differential system with a center. We find an upper bound of the number of limit cycles which bifurcate from the period annulus of W under a generic polynomial perturbation. We apply this result to a particular family of planar polynomial systems having a nilpotent center without meromorphic first integral.     

On Hopf bifurcation in non-smooth planar systems

As we know, for non-smooth planar systems there are foci of three different types, called focus-focus (FF), focus-parabolic (FP) and parabolic-parabolic (PP) type respectively. The Poincaré map with its analytical property and the problem of Hopf bifurcation have been studied in Coll et al. (2001) [3] and Filippov (1988) [6] for general systems and in Zou et al. (2006) [13] for piecewise linear systems. In this paper we also study the problem of Hopf bifurcation for non-smooth planar systems, obtaining new results. More precisely, we prove that one or two limit cycles can be produced from an elementary focus of the least order (order 1 for foci of FF or FP type and order 2 for foci of PP type) (Theorem 2.3), different from the case of smooth systems. For piecewise linear systems we prove that 2 limit cycles can appear near a focus of either FF, FP or PP type (Theorem 3.3).     

The cyclicity of the elliptic segment loops of the reversible quadratic Hamiltonian systems under quadratic perturbations

Denote by Q^H and Q^R the Hamiltonian class and reversible class of quadratic integrable systems. There are several topological types for systems belong to Q^H∩Q^R. One of them is the case that the corresponding system has two heteroclinic loops, sharing one saddle-connection, which is a line segment, and the other part of the loops is an ellipse. In this paper we prove that the maximal number of limit cycles, which bifurcate from the loops with respect to quadratic perturbations in a conic neighborhood of the direction transversal to reversible systems (called in reversible direction), is two. We also give the corresponding bifurcation diagram.     

On the number of critical periods for planar polynomial systems of arbitrary degree

We construct a class of planar systems of arbitrary degree n having a reversible center at the origin and such that the number of critical periods on its period annulus grows quadratically with n. As far as we know, the previous results on this subject gave systems having linear growth.     

Integrability and algebraic limit cycles for polynomial differential systems with homogeneous nonlinearities

We consider the class of polynomial differential equations , where P_n and Q_n are homogeneous polynomials of degree n. These systems have a focus at the origin if λ≠0, and have either a center or a focus if λ=0. Inside this class we identify a new subclass of Darbouxian integrable systems having either a focus or a center at the origin. Additionally, under generic conditions such Darbouxian integrable systems can have at most one limit cycle, and when it exists is algebraic. For the case n=2 and 3, we present new classes of Darbouxian integrable systems having a focus.     

Integrability and algebraic limit cycles for polynomial differential systems with homogeneous nonlinearities

We consider the class of polynomial differential equations , where P_n and Q_n are homogeneous polynomials of degree n. These systems have a focus at the origin if λ≠0, and have either a center or a focus if λ=0. Inside this class we identify a new subclass of Darbouxian integrable systems having either a focus or a center at the origin. Additionally, under generic conditions such Darbouxian integrable systems can have at most one limit cycle, and when it exists is algebraic. For the case n=2 and 3, we present new classes of Darbouxian integrable systems having a focus.     

Periodic orbits of radially symmetric Keplerian-like systems: A topological degree approach

We are concerned with non-autonomous radially symmetric systems with a singularity, which are T-periodic in time. By the use of topological degree theory, we prove the existence of large-amplitude periodic solutions whose minimal period is an integer multiple of T. Precise estimates are then given in the case of Keplerian-like systems, showing some resemblance between the orbits of those solutions and the circular orbits of the corresponding classical autonomous system.     

On the critical periods of perturbed isochronous centers

Consider a family of planar systems having a center at the origin and assume that for ε=0 they have an isochronous center. Firstly, we give an explicit formula for the first order term in ε of the derivative of the period function. We apply this formula to prove that, up to first order in ε, at most one critical period bifurcates from the periodic orbits of isochronous quadratic systems when we perturb them inside the class of quadratic reversible centers. Moreover necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of this critical period are explicitly given. From the tools developed in this paper we also provide a new characterization of planar isochronous centers.     

Perturbations of symmetric elliptic Hamiltonians of degree four

In this paper four-parameter unfoldings Xλ of symmetric elliptic Hamiltonians of degree four are studied. We prove that in a compact region of the period annulus of X₀ the displacement function of Xλ is sign equivalent to its principal part, which is given by a family induced by a Chebychev system; and we describe the bifurcation diagram of Xλ in a full neighborhood of the origin in the parameter space, where at most two limit cycles can exist for the corresponding systems.     

First integrals and normal forms for germs of analytic vector fields

For a germ of analytic vector fields, the existence of first integrals, resonance and the convergence of normalization transforming the vector field to a normal form are closely related. In this paper we first provide a link between the number of first integrals and the resonant relations for a quasi-periodic vector field, which generalizes one of the Poincaré's classical results [H. Poincaré, Sur l'intégration des équations différentielles du premier order et du premier degré I and II, Rend. Circ. Mat. Palermo 5 (1891) 161-191; 11 (1897) 193-239] on autonomous systems and Theorem 5 of [Weigu Li, J. Llibre, Xiang Zhang, Local first integrals of differential systems and diffeomorphism, Z. Angew. Math. Phys. 54 (2003) 235-255] on periodic systems. Then in the space of analytic autonomous systems in C2n with exactly n resonances and n functionally independent first integrals, our results are related to the convergence and generic divergence of the normalizations. Lastly for a planar Hamiltonian system it is well known that the system has an isochronous center if and only if it can be linearizable in a neighborhood of the center. Using the Euler-Lagrange equation we provide a new approach to its proof.     

Classification of quadratic systems admitting the existence of an algebraic limit cycle

In the paper we find a set of necessary conditions that must be satisfied by a quadratic system in order to have an algebraic limit cycle. We find a countable set of ?5 parameter families of quadratic systems such that every quadratic system with an algebraic limit cycle must, after a change of variables, belong to one of those families. We provide a classification of all the quadratic systems which can have an algebraic limit cycle based on geometrical properties of the embedding of the system in the Poincaré compactification of R². We propose names for all the classes we distinguish and we classify all known examples of quadratic systems with algebraic limit cycle. We also prove the integrability of certain classes of quadratic systems.     

Bifurcation and chaos near sliding homoclinics

We study the chaotic behaviour of a time dependent perturbation of a discontinuous differential equation whose unperturbed part has a sliding homoclinic orbit that is a solution homoclinic to a hyperbolic fixed point with a part belonging to a discontinuity surface. We assume the time dependent perturbation satisfies a kind of recurrence condition which is satisfied by almost periodic perturbations. Following a functional analytic approach we construct a Melnikov-like function M(α) in such a way that if M(α) has a simple zero at some point, then the system has solutions that behave chaotically. Applications of this result to quasi-periodic systems are also given.     

The period function of classical Liénard equations

In this paper we study the number of critical points that the period function of a center of a classical Liénard equation can have. Centers of classical Liénard equations are related to scalar differential equations , with f an odd polynomial, let us say of degree 2?−1. We show that the existence of a finite upperbound on the number of critical periods, only depending on the value of ?, can be reduced to the study of slow-fast Liénard equations close to their limiting layer equations. We show that near the central system of degree 2?−1 the number of critical periods is at most 2?−2. We show the occurrence of slow-fast Liénard systems exhibiting 2?−2 critical periods, elucidating a qualitative process behind the occurrence of critical periods. It all provides evidence for conjecturing that 2?−2 is a sharp upperbound on the number of critical periods. We also show that the number of critical periods, multiplicity taken into account, is always even.     

Attractors and approximations for lattice dynamical systems

We present a sufficient condition for the existence of a global attractor for general lattice dynamical systems, then consider the existence of attractors and their approximation for second-order and first-order lattice systems which, in particular case, can be regarded as the spatial discretizations of corresponding wave equations and reaction-diffusion equations in R^k.     

On the number of zeros of Abelian integrals for a polynomial Hamiltonian irregular at infinity

Up to now, most of the results on the tangential Hilbert 16th problem have been concerned with the Hamiltonian regular at infinity, i.e., its principal homogeneous part is a product of the pairwise different linear forms. In this paper, we study a polynomial Hamiltonian which is not regular at infinity. It is shown that the space of Abelian integral for this Hamiltonian is finitely generated as a R[h] module by several basic integrals which satisfy the Picard-Fuchs system of linear differential equations. Applying the bound meandering principle, an upper bound for the number of complex isolated zeros of Abelian integrals is obtained on a positive distance from critical locus. This result is a partial solution of tangential Hilbert 16th problem for this Hamiltonian. As a consequence, we get an upper bound of the number of limit cycles produced by the period annulus of the non-Hamiltonian integrable quadratic systems whose almost all orbits are algebraic curves of degree k+n, under polynomial perturbation of arbitrary degree.     

Periodic solutions of some second-order differential equations with desultorily sublinear nonlinearities

In this paper, we study the existence of periodic solutions of the Rayleigh equations

x^″+f(x^′)+g(x)=e(t).