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.     

Singular perturbations and vanishing passage through a turning point

The paper deals with planar slow-fast cycles containing a unique generic turning point. We address the question on how to study canard cycles when the slow dynamics can be singular at the turning point. We more precisely accept a generic saddle-node bifurcation to pass through the turning point. It reveals that in this case the slow divergence integral is no longer the good tool to use, but its derivative with respect to the layer variable still is. We provide general results as well as a number of applications. We show how to treat the open problems presented in Artés et al. (2009) [1] and Dumortier and Rousseau (2009) [13], dealing respectively with the graphics DI2a and DF1a from Dumortier et al. (1994) [14].     

Slow-fast Bogdanov-Takens bifurcations

In this paper we study perturbations from planar vector fields having a line of zeros and representing a singular limit of Bogdanov-Takens (BT) bifurcations. We introduce, among other precise definitions, the notion of slow-fast BT-bifurcation and we provide a complete study of the bifurcation diagram and the related phase portraits. Based on geometric singular perturbation theory, including blow-up, we get results that are valid on a uniform neighborhood both in parameter space and in the phase plane.     

Global qualitative analysis of a quartic ecological model

In this paper we complete the global qualitative analysis of a quartic ecological model. In particular, studying global bifurcations of singular points and limit cycles, we prove that the corresponding dynamical system has at most two limit cycles.     

Slow divergence integral on a Möbius band

The slow divergence integral has proved to be an important tool in the study of slow-fast cycles defined on an orientable two-dimensional manifold (e.g. ${\mathbb{R}}^2$). The goal of our paper is to study 1-canard cycle and 2-canard cycle bifurcations on a non-orientable two-dimensional manifold (e.g. the Möbius band) by using similar techniques. Our focus is on smooth slow-fast models with a Hopf breaking mechanism. The same results can be proved for a jump breaking mechanism and non-generic turning points. The slow-fast bifurcation problems on the Möbius band require the study of the 2-return map attached to such 1- and 2-canard cycles. We give a simple sufficient condition, expressed in terms of the slow divergence integral, for the existence of a period-doubling bifurcation near the 1-canard cycle. We also prove the finite cyclicity property of “singular” 1- and 2-homoclinic loops (“regular” 1-homoclinic loops of finite codimension have been studied by Guimond).     

Bifurcation of limit cycles by perturbing a piecewise linear Hamiltonian system with a homoclinic loop

In this paper, we study limit cycle bifurcations for a kind of non-smooth polynomial differential systems by perturbing a piecewise linear Hamiltonian system with the center at the origin and a homoclinic loop around the origin. By using the first Melnikov function of piecewise near-Hamiltonian systems, we give lower bounds of the maximal number of limit cycles in Hopf and homoclinic bifurcations, and derive an upper bound of the number of limit cycles that bifurcate from the periodic annulus between the center and the homoclinic loop up to the first order in ε$\epsilon$. In the case when the degree of perturbing terms is low, we obtain a precise result on the number of zeros of the first Melnikov function.     

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.     

The initial value problem for cohomogeneity one Einstein metrics

The PDE Ric(g) = λ · g for a Riemannian Einstein metric g on a smooth manifold M becomes an ODE if we require g to be invariant under a Lie group G acting properly on M with principal orbits of codimension one. A singular orbit of the G-action gives a singularity of this ODE. Generically, an equation with such type of singularity has no smooth solution at the singularity. However, in our case, the very geometric nature of the equation makes it solvable. More precisely, we obtain a smooth G-invariant Einstein metric (with any Einstein constant λ) in a tubular neighbourhood around a singular orbit Q ⊂ M for any prescribed G-invariant metric g_Q and second fundamental form L_Q on Q, provided that the following technical condition is satisfied (which is very often the case): the representations of the principal isotropy group on the tangent and the normal space of the singular orbit Q have no common sub-representations. This Einstein metric is not uniquely determined by the initial data g_Q and L_Q; in fact, one may prescribe initial derivatives of higher degree, and examples show that this degree can be arbitrarily high. The proof involves a blend of ODE techniques and representation theory of the principal and singular isotropy groups.     

Bifurcations of limit cycles from infinity for a class of quintic polynomial system

In this work, we use an indirect method to investigate bifurcations of limit cycles at infinity for a class of quintic polynomial system, in which the problem for bifurcations of limit cycles from infinity be transferred into that from the origin. By the computation of singular point values, the conditions of the origin (correspondingly, infinity) to be the highest degree fine focus are derived. Consequently, we construct a quintic system with a small parameter and eight normal parameters, which can bifurcates 1 to 8 limit cycles from infinity respectively, when let normal parameters be suitable values. The positions of these limit cycles without constructing Poincaré cycle fields can be pointed out exactly.     

Small-amplitude limit cycles of some Liénard-type systems

As we know, the Liénard system and its generalized forms are classical and important models of nonlinear oscillators, and have been widely studied by mathematicians and scientists. The main problem considered by most people is the number of limit cycles. In this paper, we investigate two kinds of Liénard systems and obtain the maximal number (i.e. the least upper bound) of limit cycles appearing in Hopf bifurcations by applying some known bifurcation theorems with technical analysis.     

A singular approach to discontinuous vector fields on the plane

In this paper we deal with discontinuous vector fields on R² and we prove that the analysis of their local behavior around a typical singularity can be treated via singular perturbation. The regularization process developed by Sotomayor and Teixeira is crucial for the development of this work.     

Bifurcation from periodic solutions with spatiotemporal symmetry, including resonances and mode interactions

We study local bifurcation in equivariant dynamical systems from periodic solutions with a mixture of spatial and spatiotemporal symmetries.In previous work, we focused primarily on codimension one bifurcations. In this paper, we show that the techniques used in the codimension one analysis can be extended to understand also higher codimension bifurcations, including resonant bifurcations and mode interactions. In particular, we present a general reduction scheme by which we relate bifurcations from periodic solutions to bifurcations from fixed points of twisted equivariant diffeomorphisms, which in turn are linked via normal form theory to bifurcations from equilibria of equivariant vector fields.We also obtain a general theory for bifurcation from relative periodic solutions and we show how to incorporate time-reversal symmetries into our framework.     

Oscillation susceptibility analysis along the path of longitudinal flight equilibriums

In this paper the oscillation susceptibility of an aircraft in a longitudinal flight with constant forward velocity is analyzed in different flight models. Conditions which ensure such a flight, and equations governing the flight are presented. The stability of the equilibriums appearing is analyzed and the existence of Hopf bifurcations and saddle-node bifurcations is researched. For two aircrafts in a simplified model it is shown that saddle-node bifurcations are present and there are no Hopf bifurcations. It is shown that for the elevator deflection there are two turning points , having the property that if , then the angle of attack α and the pitch rate q oscillate with the same period, while the pitch angle θ increases (decreases) tending to . The behavior of the aircraft is simulated in the simplified model when the elevator deflection δ_e varies in the range and when δ_e leaves this range. For one of the aircrafts the analysis is performed also in the not simplified model, showing the differences between the results obtained in different models.     

Periodic orbits for perturbations of piecewise linear systems

We consider the existence of periodic orbits in a class of three-dimensional piecewise linear systems. Firstly, we describe the dynamical behavior of a non-generic piecewise linear system which has two equilibria and one two-dimensional invariant manifold foliated by periodic orbits. The aim of this work is to study the periodic orbits of the continuum that persist under a piecewise linear perturbation of the system. In order to analyze this situation, we build a real function of real variable whose zeros are related to the limit cycles that remain after the perturbation. By using this function, we state some results of existence and stability of limit cycles in the perturbed system, as well as results of bifurcations of limit cycles. The techniques presented are similar to the Melnikov theory for smooth systems and the method of averaging.     

Positive periodic solutions of Hill’s equations with singular nonlinear perturbations

We study the existence and multiplicity of positive periodic solutions of Hill’s equations with singular nonlinear perturbations. The new results are applicable to the case of a strong singularity as well as the case of a weak singularity. The proof relies on a nonlinear alternative principle of Leray–Schauder and a fixed point theorem in cones. Some recent results in the literature are generalized and improved.     

A rational spectral collocation method for solving a class of parameterized singular perturbation problems

A new kind of numerical method based on rational spectral collocation with the sinh transformation is presented for solving parameterized singularly perturbed two-point boundary value problems with one boundary layer. By means of the sinh transformation, the original Chebyshev points are mapped onto the transformed ones clustered near the singular points of the problem. The results from asymptotic analysis as regards the singularity of the solution are employed to determine the parameters in the transformation. Numerical experiments including several nonlinear cases illustrate the high accuracy and efficiency of our method.     

On the period of the limit cycles appearing in one-parameter bifurcations

The generic isolated bifurcations for one-parameter families of smooth planar vector fields {X_μ} which give rise to periodic orbits are: the Andronov-Hopf bifurcation, the bifurcation from a semi-stable periodic orbit, the saddle-node loop bifurcation and the saddle loop bifurcation. In this paper we obtain the dominant term of the asymptotic behaviour of the period of the limit cycles appearing in each of these bifurcations in terms of μ when we are near the bifurcation. The method used to study the first two bifurcations is also used to solve the same problem in another two situations: a generalization of the Andronov-Hopf bifurcation to vector fields starting with a special monodromic jet; and the Hopf bifurcation at infinity for families of polynomial vector fields.     

Two-parameter bifurcations in a network of two neurons with multiple delays

We consider a network of two coupled neurons with delayed feedback. We show that the connection topology of the network plays a fundamental role in classifying the rich dynamics and bifurcation phenomena. Regarding eigenvalues of the connection matrix as bifurcation parameters, we obtain codimension 1 bifurcations (including a fold bifurcation and a Hopf bifurcation) and codimension 2 bifurcations (including fold-Hopf bifurcations and Hopf-Hopf bifurcations). We also give concrete formulae for the normal form coefficients derived via the center manifold reduction that give detailed information about the bifurcation and stability of various bifurcated solutions. In particular, we obtain stable or unstable equilibria, periodic solutions, quasi-periodic solutions, and sphere-like surfaces of solutions. We also show how to evaluate critical normal form coefficients from the original system of delay-differential equations without computing the corresponding center manifolds.     

Bifurcation of periodic orbits in a class of planar Filippov systems

In this paper we discuss the perturbations of a general planar Filippov system with exactly one switching line. When the system has a limit cycle, we give a condition for its persistence; when the system has an annulus of periodic orbits, we give a condition under which limit cycles are bifurcated from the annulus. We also further discuss the stability and bifurcations of a nonhyperbolic limit cycle. When the system has an annulus of periodic orbits, we show via an example how the number of limit cycles bifurcated from the annulus is affected by the switching.     

Center conditions and bifurcation of limit cycles at degenerate singular points in a quintic polynomial differential system

The center problem and bifurcation of limit cycles for degenerate singular points are far to be solved in general. In this paper, we study center conditions and bifurcation of limit cycles at the degenerate singular point in a class of quintic polynomial vector field with a small parameter and eight normal parameters. We deduce a recursion formula for singular point quantities at the degenerate singular points in this system and reach with relative ease an expression of the first five quantities at the degenerate singular point. The center conditions for the degenerate singular point of this system are derived. Consequently, we construct a quintic system, which can bifurcates 5 limit cycles in the neighborhood of the degenerate singular point. The positions of these limit cycles can be pointed out exactly without constructing Poincaré cycle fields. The technique employed in this work is essentially different from more usual ones. The recursion formula we present in this paper for the calculation of singular point quantities at degenerate singular point is linear and then avoids complex integrating operations.