Existence of limit cycles for coupled van der Pol equations

In this paper, we consider the existence of limit cycles of coupled van der Pol equations by using S¹-degree theory due to Dylawerski et al. (see Ann. Polon. Math. 62 (1991) 243).     

Smoothness of the carrying simplex for discrete-time competitive dynamical systems: A characterization of neat embedding

The paper is concerned with the question of smoothness of the carrying simplex S for a discrete-time dissipative competitive dynamical system. We give a necessary and sufficient criterion for S being a C¹ submanifold-with-corners neatly embedded in the nonnegative orthant, formulated in terms of inequalities between Lyapunov exponents for ergodic measures supported on the boundary of the orthant. This completes one thread of investigation occasioned by a question posed by M.W. Hirsch in 1988. Besides, amenable conditions are presented to guarantee the Cr (r?1) smoothness of S in the time-periodic competitive Kolmogorov systems of ODEs. Examples are also presented, one in which S is of class C¹ but not neatly embedded, the other in which S is not of class C¹.     

Identifications in modular group algebras

Let G be a group, S a subgroup of G, and F a field of characteristic p. We denote the augmentation ideal of the group algebra FG by ω(G). The Zassenhaus-Jennings-Lazard series of G is defined by D_n(G)=G∩(1+ωⁿ(G)). We give a constructive proof of a theorem of Quillen stating that the graded algebra associated with FG is isomorphic as an algebra to the enveloping algebra of the restricted Lie algebra associated with the D_n(G). We then extend a theorem of Jennings that provides a basis for the quotient ωⁿ(G)/ωⁿ⁺¹(G) in terms of a basis of the restricted Lie algebra associated with the D_n(G). We shall use these theorems to prove the main results of this paper. For G a finite p-group and n a positive integer, we prove that G∩(1+ω(G)ωⁿ(S))=D_n+1(S) and G∩(1+ω²(G)ωⁿ(S))=D_n+2(S)D_n+1(S∩D₂(G)). The analogous results for integral group rings of free groups have been previously obtained by Gruenberg, Hurley, and Sehgal.     

Trace formulas and Borg-type theorems for matrix-valued Jacobi and Dirac finite difference operators

Borg-type uniqueness theorems for matrix-valued Jacobi operators H and supersymmetric Dirac difference operators D are proved. More precisely, assuming reflectionless matrix coefficients A,B in the self-adjoint Jacobi operator H=AS⁺+A^-S^-+B (with S^± the right/left shift operators on the lattice Z) and the spectrum of H to be a compact interval [E_-,E₊], E_-<E₊, we prove that A and B are certain multiples of the identity matrix. An analogous result which, however, displays a certain novel nonuniqueness feature, is proved for supersymmetric self-adjoint Dirac difference operators D with spectrum given by , 0?E_-<E₊.Our approach is based on trace formulas and matrix-valued (exponential) Herglotz representation theorems. As a by-product of our techniques we obtain the extension of Flaschka's Borg-type result for periodic scalar Jacobi operators to the class of reflectionless matrix-valued Jacobi operators.     

The reversibility and the center problem

In this work we study the narrow relation between reversibility and the center problem and also between reversibility and the integrability problem. It is well known that an analytic system having either a non-degenerate or nilpotent center at the origin is analytically reversible or orbitally analytically reversible, respectively. In this paper we prove the existence of a smooth map that transforms an analytic system having a degenerate center at the origin with either an analytic first integral or a C^∞ inverse integrating factor into a reversible linear system (after rescaling the time). Moreover, if the degenerate center has an analytic or a C^∞ reversing symmetry, then the transformed system by the map also has a reversing symmetry. From the knowledge of a first integral near the center we give a procedure to detect reversing symmetries.     

On the singular Weyl-Titchmarsh function of perturbed spherical Schrödinger operators

We investigate the singular Weyl-Titchmarsh m-function of perturbed spherical Schrödinger operators (also known as Bessel operators) under the assumption that the perturbation q(x) satisfies xq(x)∈L¹(0,1). We show existence plus detailed properties of a fundamental system of solutions which are entire with respect to the energy parameter. Based on this we show that the singular m-function belongs to the generalized Nevanlinna class and connect our results with the theory of super singular perturbations.     

Hopf bifurcation in symmetric configuration of predator-prey-mutualist systems

In this paper we apply the equivariant degree method to study Hopf bifurcations in a system of differential equations describing a symmetric predator-prey-mutualist model with diffusive migration between interacting communities. A topological classification (according to symmetry types), of symmetric Hopf bifurcation in configurations of populations with D₈, D₁₂, A₄ and S₄ symmetries, is presented with estimation on minimal number of bifurcating branches of periodic solutions.     

The geometry of the critical set of nonlinear periodic Sturm-Liouville operators

We study the critical set C of the nonlinear differential operator F(u)=−u^″+f(u) defined on a Sobolev space of periodic functions Hp(S¹), p?1. Let be the plane z=0 and, for n>0, let n be the cone x²+y²=tan²z, |z−2πn|<π/2; also set . For a generic smooth nonlinearity f:R→R with surjective derivative, we show that there is a diffeomorphism between the pairs (Hp(S¹),C) and (R³,Σ)×H where H is a real separable infinite-dimensional Hilbert space.     

On the number of limit cycles in small perturbations of a class of hyper-elliptic Hamiltonian systems with one nilpotent saddle

In this paper, we make a complete study on small perturbations of Hamiltonian vector field with a hyper-elliptic Hamiltonian of degree five, which is a Liénard system of the form x^′=y, y^′=Q₁(x)+εyQ₂(x) with Q₁ and Q₂ polynomials of degree respectively 4 and 3. It is shown that this system can undergo degenerated Hopf bifurcation and Poincaré bifurcation, which emerges at most three limit cycles in the plane for sufficiently small positive ε. And the limit cycles can encompass only an equilibrium inside, i.e. the configuration (3,0) of limit cycles can appear for some values of parameters, where (3,0) stands for three limit cycles surrounding an equilibrium and no limit cycles surrounding two equilibria.     

Rank one perturbations at infinite coupling in Pontryagin spaces

In this paper we relate the operators in the operator representations of a generalized Nevanlinna function N(z) and of the function −N(z)⁻¹ under the assumption that z=∞ is the only (generalized) pole of nonpositive type. The results are applied to the Q-function for S and H and the Q-function for S and H^∞, where H is a self-adjoint operator in a Pontryagin space with a cyclic element w, H^∞ is the self-adjoint relation obtained from H and w via a rank one perturbation at infinite coupling, and S is the symmetric operator given by S=H∩H^∞.     

Diameters of 3-sphere quotients

Let G⊂O(4) act isometrically on S³. In this article we calculate a lower bound for the diameter of the quotient spaces S³/G. We find it to be , which is exactly the value of the lower bound for diameters of the spherical space forms. In the process, we are also able to find a lower bound for diameters for the spherical Aleksandrov spaces, Sn/G, of cohomogeneities 1 and 2, as well as for cohomogeneity 3 (with some restrictions on the group type). This leads us to conjecture that the diameter of Sn/G is increasing as the cohomogeneity of the group G increases.     

Separable solutions of some quasilinear equations with source reaction

We study the existence of singular solutions to the equation −div(|Du|^p−2Du)=|u|^q−1u under the form u(r,θ)=r−βω(θ), r>0, θ∈SN−1. We prove the existence of an exponent q below which no positive solutions can exist. If the dimension is 2 we use a dynamical system approach to construct solutions.     

Spectral criteria for complementary triangular forms

In this paper we consider the following problem: Given two matricesA,Z∈? ^n×n , does there exist an invertiblen×n-matrixS such thatS ^?1 AS is an upper triangular matrix andS ^?1 ZS is a lower triangular matrix, and if so, what can be said about the order in which the eigenvalues ofA andZ appear on the diagonals of these triangular matrices? For special choices ofA andZ a complete solution is possible, as has been shown by several authors. Here we follow a lead, provided by Shmuel Friedland, who discussed the case where bothA andZ have at leastn-1 linearly independent eigenvectors, and we descibe the problem in terms of Jordan chains and left-Jordan chains for the matricesA, Z. The results give some insight in the question why certain classes of matrices (like the nonderogatory and the rank 1 matrices) allow for a detailed solution of the problems described above; for some of these classes the result of this analysis is presented here for the first time.     

Evolution of conformal maps with quasiconformal extensions

We study one-parameter curves on the universal Teichmüller space T and on the homogeneous space M=DiffS¹/RotS¹ embedded into T. As a result, we deduce evolution equations for conformal maps that admit quasiconformal extensions and, in particular, such that the associated quasidisks are bounded by smooth Jordan curves. This approach allows us to understand the Laplacian growth (Hele-Shaw problem) as a flow in the Teichmüller space.     

Approximate amenability of certain inverse semigroup algebras

In this article, the approximate amenability of semigroup algebra ?¹(S) is investigated, where (S) is a uniformly locally finite inverse semigroup. Indeed, we show that for a uniformly locally finite inverse semigroup (S), the notions of amenability, approximate amenability and bounded approximate amenability of ?¹(S) are equivalent. We use this to give a direct proof of the approximate amenability of ?¹(S) for a Brandt semigroup (S). Moreover, we characterize the approximate amenability of ?¹(S), where S is a uniformly locally finite band semigroup.     

The topological types of hypersurface simple K3 singularities

We give a result that relates the diffeomorphism type of the link of a non-degenerate semi-quasi-homogeneous hypersurface simple K3 singularity with the singularities of the normal K  3 surface that appears as the exceptional divisor of the resolution of the singularity. As a result, we show that the links are diffeomorphic to the connected sum of copies of S²×S³$S^2\times S^3$. Moreover, we also show that the topological types of hypersurface simple K3 singularities defined by non-degenerate semi-quasi-homogeneous polynomials are all different.     

Periodic orbits in complex Abel equations

This paper is devoted to prove two unexpected properties of the Abel equation dz/dt=z³+B(t)z²+C(t)z, where B and C are smooth, 2π-periodic complex valuated functions, t∈R and z∈C. The first one is that there is no upper bound for its number of isolated 2π-periodic solutions. In contrast, recall that if the functions B and C are real valuated then the number of complex 2π-periodic solutions is at most three. The second property is that there are examples of the above equation with B and C being low degree trigonometric polynomials such that the center variety is formed by infinitely many connected components in the space of coefficients of B and C. This result is also in contrast with the characterization of the center variety for the examples of Abel equations dz/dt=A(t)z³+B(t)z² studied in the literature, where the center variety is located in a finite number of connected components.