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.     

Limit cycles near generalized homoclinic and double homoclinic loops in piecewise smooth systems

In this paper, we study the bifurcation of limit cycles in piecewise smooth systems by perturbing a piecewise Hamiltonian system with a generalized homoclinic or generalized double homoclinic loop. We first obtain the form of the expansion of the first Melnikov function. Then by using the first coefficients in the expansion, we give some new results on the number of limit cycles bifurcated from a periodic annulus near the generalized (double) homoclinic loop. As applications, we study the number of limit cycles of a piecewise near-Hamiltonian systems with a generalized homoclinic loop and a central symmetric piecewise smooth system with a generalized double homoclinic loop.     

Melnikov Functions for a Class of Piecewise Hamiltonian Systems

This paper is concerned with the number of limit cycles for a class of piecewise Hamiltonian systems with two zones separated by two semi-straight lines. By constructing a Poincar\''{e} map, we obtain explicit expressions of the first, second and third order Melnikov functions. In addition, we apply their expressions to give upper bounds of the number of limit cycles bifurcated from a period annulus of a piecewise polynomial Hamiltonian system.     

Bifurcation of limit cycles in a quintic Hamiltonian system under a sixth-order perturbation

This paper intends to explore the bifurcation of limit cycles for planar polynomial systems with even number of degrees. To obtain the maximum number of limit cycles, a sixth-order polynomial perturbation is added to a quintic Hamiltonian system, and both local and global bifurcations are considered. By employing the detection function method for global bifurcations of limit cycles and the normal form theory for local degenerate Hopf bifurcations, 31 and 35 limit cycles and their configurations are obtained for different sets of controlled parameters. It is shown that: H(6)  35 = 6² − 1, where H(6) is the Hilbert number for sixth-degree polynomial systems.     

Limit cycle bifurcations near generalized homoclinic loop in piecewise smooth systems with a cusp

For a piecewise analytical Hamiltonian system with a cusp on a switch line, which has a family of periodic orbits near a generalized homoclinic loop, we study the maximum number of limit cycles bifurcating from the periodic orbits. For doing so, we first obtain the asymptotic expressions of the Melnikov functions near the loop. Finally we present two examples illustrating applications of the main results.     

The Number of Limit Cycles in a Class of Piecewise Polynomial Systems

In this paper, we pay attention to the number of limit cycles for a class of piecewise smooth near-Hamiltonian systems. By using the expression of the first order Melnikov function and some known results about Chebyshev systems, we study upper bound of the number of limit cycles in Hopf bifurcation and Poincar\''{e} bifurcation respectively.     

The planar discontinuous piecewise linear refracting systems have at most one limit cycle

In this paper we investigate the limit cycles of planar piecewise linear differential systems with two zones separated by a straight line. It is well known that when these systems are continuous they can exhibit at most one limit cycle, while when they are discontinuous the question about maximum number of limit cycles that they can exhibit is still open. For these last systems there are examples exhibiting three limit cycles.The aim of this paper is to study the number of limit cycles for a special kind of planar discontinuous piecewise linear differential systems with two zones separated by a straight line which are known as refracting systems. First we obtain the existence and uniqueness of limit cycles for refracting systems of focus-node type. Second we prove that refracting systems of focus–focus type have at most one limit cycle, thus we give a positive answer to a conjecture on the uniqueness of limit cycle stated by Freire, Ponce and Torres in Freire et al. (2013). These two results complete the proof that any refracting system has at most one limit cycle.     

Hopf bifurcation at infinity in 3D symmetric piecewise linear systems. Application to a Bonhoeffer–van der Pol oscillator

In this work, a Hopf bifurcation at infinity in three-dimensional symmetric continuous piecewise linear systems with three zones is analyzed. By adapting the so-called closing equations method, which constitutes a suitable technique to detect limit cycles bifurcation in piecewise linear systems, we give for the first time a complete characterization of the existence and stability of the limit cycle of large amplitude that bifurcates from the point at infinity. Analytical expressions for the period and amplitude of the bifurcating limit cycles are obtained. As an application of these results, we study the appearance of a large amplitude limit cycle in a Bonhoeffer–van der Pol oscillator.     

Bifurcation of limit cycles in a quintic Hamiltonian system under a sixth-order perturbation

This paper intends to explore the bifurcation of limit cycles for planar polynomial systems with even number of degrees. To obtain the maximum number of limit cycles, a sixth-order polynomial perturbation is added to a quintic Hamiltonian system, and both local and global bifurcations are considered. By employing the detection function method for global bifurcations of limit cycles and the normal form theory for local degenerate Hopf bifurcations, 31 and 35 limit cycles and their configurations are obtained for different sets of controlled parameters. It is shown that: H(6) ⩾ 35 = 6² − 1, where H(6) is the Hilbert number for sixth-degree polynomial systems.     

Bifurcation of periodic orbits emanated from a vertex in discontinuous planar systems

We discuss bifurcation of periodic orbits in discontinuous planar systems with discontinuities on finitely many straight lines intersecting at the origin and the unperturbed system has either a limit cycle or an annulus of periodic orbits. Assume that the unperturbed periodic orbits cross every switching line transversally exactly once. For the first case we give a condition for the persistence of the limit cycle. For the second case, we obtain the expression of the first order Melnikov function and establish sufficient conditions on the number of limit cycles bifurcate from the periodic annulus. Then we generalize our results to systems with discontinuities on finitely many smooth curves. As an application, we present a piecewise cubic system with 4 switching lines and show that the maximum number of limit cycles bifurcate from the periodic annulus can be affected by the position of the switching lines.     

Limit cycles for perturbing a piecewise linear Hamiltonian system with one or two saddles

We study bifurcations of limit cycles arising after perturbations of linear piecewise Hamiltonian systems. In this paper we find bounds for the numbers of limit cycles for several families of which phase portraits were classified in Xiong and Han (2013) [14].     

LIMIT CYCLES OF SOME Z_3-EQUIVARIANT NEAR-HAMILTONIAN SYSTEMS OF DEGREES 3 AND 4

This paper studies the number of limit cycles of some Z3-equivariant near-Hamiltonian systems of degrees 3 and 4,which are a perturbation of a cubic Hamiltonian system. By the Melnikov function method,we obtain 5 and 6 limit cycles respectively.     

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).     

Small-amplitude limit cycles of polynomial Liénard systems

In this paper,we study the number of limit cycles appeared in Hopf bifurcations of a Linard system with multiple parameters.As an application to some polynomial Li’enard systems of the form x=y,y=gm(x)-fn(x)y,we obtain a new lower bound of maximal number of limit cycles which appear in Hopf bifurcation for arbitrary degrees m and n.     

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.     

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.     

Limit Cycle Bifurcations Of A Kind Of Lienard System With A Hypobolic Saddle And A Nilpotent Cusp

This paper gives a general theorem on the number of limit cycles of a near Hamiltonian system with a heteroclinic loop passing through a hyperbolic saddle and a nilpotent cusp. Then we study a kind of Lienard systems of type (n,4) for 3<=n<=27 and obtain the lower bound of the maximal number of limit cycles for this kind of system.     

On the Number of Limit Cycles in Small Perturbations of a Piecewise Linear Hamiltonian System with a Heteroclinic Loop

In this paper, the authors consider limit cycle bifurcations for a kind of nonsmooth polynomial differential systems by perturbing a piecewise linear Hamiltonian system with a center at the origin and a heteroclinic loop around the origin. When the degree of perturbing polynomial terms is n(n ≥ 1), it is obtained that n limit cycles can appear near the origin and the heteroclinic loop respectively by using the first Melnikov function of piecewise near-Hamiltonian systems, and that there are at most n + [(n+1)/2] limit cycles bifurcating from the periodic annulus between the center and the heteroclinic loop up to the first order in ε. Especially, for n = 1, 2, 3 and 4, a precise result on the maximal number of zeros of the first Melnikov function is derived.     

The number and stability of limit cycles for planar piecewise linear systems of node–saddle type

The objective of this paper is to study the number and stability of limit cycles for planar piecewise linear (PWL) systems of node–saddle type with two linear regions. Firstly, we give a thorough analysis of limit cycles for Liénard PWL systems of this type, proving one is the maximum number of limit cycles and obtaining necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence and stability of a unique limit cycle. These conditions can be easily verified directly according to the parameters in the systems, and play an important role in giving birth to two limit cycles for general PWL systems. In this step, the tool of a Bendixon-like theorem is successfully employed to derive the existence of a limit cycle. Secondly, making use of the results gained in the first step, we obtain parameter regions where the general PWL systems have at least one, at least two and no limit cycles respectively. In addition for the general PWL systems, some sufficient conditions are presented for the existence and stability of a unique one and exactly two limit cycles respectively. Finally, some numerical examples are given to illustrate the results and especially to show the existence and stability of two nested limit cycles.     

Hamiltonian weakly damped autonomous systems exhibiting periodic attractors

The dynamic local stability of autonomous Hamiltonian, weakly damped, lumped-mass (discrete) systems is reconsidered. For such potential(conservative) systems conditions for the existence of limit cycles are discussed by studying the effect of the damping matrix on the Jacobian eigenvalues. New findings that contradict existing results are presented. Thus, undamped stable symmetric systems with the inclusion of slight damping may experience: (a) a double zero eigenvalue bifurcation, a degenerate Hopf bifurcation and a generic (usual) Hopf bifurcation, and (b) a limit cycle (dynamic) mode of instability prior to the static (divergence) mode of instability (failure of Zieglers kinetic criterion). A variety of numerical examples verified by a nonlinear analysis confirm the validity of the theoretical findings presented herein. Received: January 3, 2003; revised: July 14, 2003 and February 17, 2004