The nondegenerate center problem and the inverse integrating factor

In this paper we study some aspects of the nondegenerate center problem for analytic and, in particular, for polynomial vector fields. The relation between the existence of an inverse integrating factor and the center problem is studied. The relationship between the conditions for a center using the Poincaré formal series and the inverse integrating factor formal series for systems with a linear center perturbed by homogeneous polynomials is proved.     

Limit cycles and Lie symmetries

Given a planar vector field U which generates the Lie symmetry of some other vector field X, we prove a new criterion to control the stability of the periodic orbits of U. The problem is linked to a classical problem proposed by A.T. Winfree in the seventies about the existence of isochrons of limit cycles (the question suggested by the study of biological clocks), already answered by Guckenheimer using a different terminology. We apply our criterion to give upper bounds of the number of limit cycles for some families of vector fields as well as to provide a class of vector fields with a prescribed number of hyperbolic limit cycles. Finally we show how this procedure solves the problem of the hyperbolicity of periodic orbits in problems where other criteria, like the classical one of the divergence, fail.     

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.     

Simultaneous bifurcation of limit cycles from a linear center with extra singular points

The period annuli of the planar vector field x^′=−yF(x,y)$x^{\prime }=-yF(x,y)$, y^′=xF(x,y)$y^{\prime }=xF(x,y)$, where the set {F(x,y)=0}$\{F(x,y)=0\}$ consists of k   different isolated points, is defined by k+1$k+1$ concentric annuli. In this paper we perturb it with polynomials of degree n and we study how many limit cycles bifurcate, up to a first order analysis, from all the period annuli simultaneously in terms of k and n  . Additionally, we prove that the associated Abelian integral is piecewise rational and, when k=1$k=1$, the provided upper bound is reached. Finally, the case k=2$k=2$ is also treated.     

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.     

Superstability and rigorous asymptotics in singularly perturbed state-dependent delay-differential equations

We study the singularly perturbed state-dependent delay-differential equation

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The problem of distinguishing between a center and a focus for nilpotent and degenerate analytic systems

In this work we study the centers of planar analytic vector fields which are limit of linear type centers. It is proved that all the nilpotent centers are limit of linear type centers and consequently the Poincaré-Liapunov method to find linear type centers can be also used to find the nilpotent centers. Moreover, we show that the degenerate centers which are limit of linear type centers are also detectable with the Poincaré-Liapunov method.     

On the period function for a family of complex differential equations

We consider planar differential equations of the form being f(z) and g(z) holomorphic functions and prove that if g(z) is not constant then for any continuum of period orbits the period function has at most one isolated critical period, which is a minimum. Among other implications, the paper extends a well-known result for meromorphic equations, that says that any continuum of periodic orbits has a constant period function.     

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.     

First derivative of the period function with applications

Given a centre of a planar differential system, we extend the use of the Lie bracket to the determination of the monotonicity character of the period function. As far as we know, there are no general methods to study this function, and the use of commutators and Lie bracket was restricted to prove isochronicity. We give several examples and a special method which simplifies the computations when a first integral is known.     

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.     

A new approach to center conditions for simple analytic monodromic singularities

In this paper we present an alternative algorithm for computing Poincaré-Lyapunov constants of simple monodromic singularities of planar analytic vector fields based on the concept of inverse integrating factor. Simple monodromic singular points are those for which after performing the first (generalized) polar blow-up, there appear no singular points. In other words, the associated Poincaré return map is analytic. An improvement of the method determines a priori the minimum number of Poincaré-Lyapunov constants which must cancel to ensure that the monodromic singularity is in fact a center when the explicit Laurent series of an inverse integrating factor is known in (generalized) polar coordinates. Several examples show the usefulness of the method.     

Upper bounds for the number of zeroes for some Abelian integrals

Consider the vector field x^′=−yG(x,y),y^′=xG(x,y)$x^{\prime }=-yG(x,y),y^{\prime }=xG(x,y)$, where the set of critical points {G(x,y)=0}$\{G(x,y)=0\}$ is formed by K$K$ straight lines, not passing through the origin and parallel to one or two orthogonal directions. We perturb it with a general polynomial perturbation of degree n$n$ and study the maximum number of limit cycles that can bifurcate from the period annulus of the origin in terms of K$K$ and n$n$. Our approach is based on the explicit computation of the Abelian integral that controls the bifurcation and on a new result for bounding the number of zeroes of a certain family of real functions. When we apply our results for K≤4$K\le 4$ we recover or improve some results obtained in several previous works.     

The differential equations on time scales through impulsive differential equations

In this paper we investigate differential equations on certain time scales with transition conditions (DETC) on the basis of reduction to the impulsive differential equations (IDE). DETC are in some sense more general than dynamic equations on time scales [M. Bohner, A. Peterson, Dynamic equations on time scales, in: An Introduction With Applications, Birkhäuser Boston, Inc., Boston, MA, 2001, p. x+358; V. Laksmikantham, S. Sivasundaram, B. Kaymakcalan, Dynamical Systems on Measure Chains, in: Math. and its Appl., vol. 370, Kluwer Academic, Dordrecht, 1996]. The basic properties of linear systems, the existence and stability of periodic solutions, and almost periodic solutions are considered. Appropriate examples are given to illustrate the theory.     

Inverse Jacobian multipliers and Hopf bifurcation on center manifolds

In this paper we consider a class of higher dimensional differential systems in Rⁿ${\mathbb{R}}^n$ which have a two dimensional center manifold at the origin with a pair of pure imaginary eigenvalues. First we characterize the existence of either analytic or C^∞$C^{\infty }$ inverse Jacobian multipliers of the systems around the origin, which is either a center or a focus on the center manifold. Later we study the cyclicity of the system at the origin through Hopf bifurcation by using the vanishing multiplicity of the inverse Jacobian multiplier.     

Embedding smooth and formal diffeomorphisms through the Jordan-Chevalley decomposition

In [Xiang Zhang, The embedding flows of C^∞ hyperbolic diffeomorphisms, J. Differential Equations 250 (5) (2011) 2283-2298] Zhang proved that any local smooth hyperbolic diffeomorphism whose eigenvalues are weakly nonresonant is embedded in the flow of a smooth vector field. We present a new and more conceptual proof of such result using the Jordan-Chevalley decomposition in algebraic groups and the properties of the exponential operator.We characterize the hyperbolic smooth (resp. formal) diffeomorphisms that are embedded in a smooth (resp. formal) flow. We introduce a criterion showing that the presence of weak resonances for a diffeomorphism plus two natural conditions imply that it is not embeddable. This solves a conjecture of Zhang. The criterion is optimal, we provide a method to construct embeddable diffeomorphisms with weak resonances if we remove any of the conditions.     

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.     

Formal paths, iterated integrals and the center problem for ordinary differential equations

We continue the study of the center problem for the ordinary differential equation started in [A. Brudnyi, An explicit expression for the first return map in the center problem, J. Differential Equations 206 (2004) 306-314; A. Brudnyi, On the center problem for ordinary differential equations, Amer. J. Math. 128 (2006) 419-451; A. Brudnyi, An algebraic model for the center problem, Bull. Sci. Math. 128 (2004) 839-857; A. Brudnyi, On center sets of ODEs determined by moments of their coefficients, Bull. Sci. Math. 130 (2006) 33-48; A. Brudnyi, Vanishing of higher-order moments on Lipschitz curves, Bull. Sci. Math. 132 (3) (2008) 165-181]. In this paper we present the highlights of the algebraic theory of centers.