On the 16th Hilbert problem for algebraic limit cycles

For a polynomial planar vector field of degree n?2 with generic invariant algebraic curves we show that the maximum number of algebraic limit cycles is 1+(n−1)(n−2)/2 when n is even, and (n−1)(n−2)/2 when n is odd. Furthermore, these upper bounds are reached.     

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.     

Bifurcation of limit cycles from generalized homoclinic loops in planar piecewise smooth systems

The generalized homoclinic loop appears in the study of dynamics on piecewise smooth differential systems during the past two decades. For planar piecewise smooth differential systems, there are concrete examples showing that under suitable perturbations of a generalized homoclinic loop one or two limit cycles can appear. But up to now there is no a general theory to study the cyclicity of a generalized homoclinic loop, that is, the maximal number of limit cycles which are bifurcated from it.     

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.     

Multiplicity of limit cycles and analytic m-solutions for planar differential systems

This work deals with limit cycles of real planar analytic vector fields. It is well known that given any limit cycle Γ of an analytic vector field it always exists a real analytic function f₀(x,y), defined in a neighborhood of Γ, and such that Γ is contained in its zero level set. In this work we introduce the notion of f₀(x,y) being an m-solution, which is a merely analytic concept. Our main result is that a limit cycle Γ is of multiplicity m if and only if f₀(x,y) is an m-solution of the vector field. We apply it to study in some examples the stability and the bifurcation of periodic orbits from some non-hyperbolic limit cycles.     

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.     

Bifurcations and distribution of limit cycles which appear from two nests of periodic orbits

In this paper, we study the distribution and simultaneous bifurcation of limit cycles bifurcated from the two periodic annuli of the holomorphic differential equation , after a small polynomial perturbation. We first show that, under small perturbations of the form , where is a polynomial of degree 2m−1 in which the power of z is odd and the power of is even, the only possible distribution of limit cycles is (u,u) for all values of u=0,1,2,…,m−3. Hence, the sharp upper bound for the number of limit cycles bifurcated from each two period annuli of is m−3, for m≥4. Then we consider a perturbation of the form , where is a polynomial of degree m in which the power of z is odd and obtain the upper bound m−5, for m≥6. Moreover, we show that the distribution (u,v) of limit cycles is possible for 0≤u≤m−5, 0≤v≤m−5 with u+v≤m−2 and m≥9.     

Configurations of limit cycles in Liénard equations

We show that every finite configuration of disjoint simple closed curves in the plane is topologically realizable as the set of limit cycles of a polynomial Liénard equation. The related vector field X is Morse–Smale. Moreover it has the minimum number of singularities required for realizing the configuration in a Liénard equation. We provide an explicit upper bound on the degree of X, which is lower than the results obtained before, obtained in the context of general polynomial vector fields.     

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).     

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.     

Hilbert's 16th problem for classical Liénard equations of even degree

Classical Liénard equations are two-dimensional vector fields, on the phase plane or on the Liénard plane, related to scalar differential equations . In this paper, we consider f to be a polynomial of degree 2l−1, with l a fixed but arbitrary natural number. The related Liénard equation is of degree 2l. We prove that the number of limit cycles of such an equation is uniformly bounded, if we restrict f to some compact set of polynomials of degree exactly 2l−1. The main problem consists in studying the large amplitude limit cycles, of which we show that there are at most l.     

Birth of limit cycles bifurcating from a nonsmooth center

This paper is concerned with a codimension analysis of a two-fold singularity of piecewise smooth planar vector fields, when it behaves itself like a center of smooth vector fields (also called nondegenerate Σ-center). We prove that any nondegenerate Σ-center is Σ  -equivalent to a particular normal form _Z0$Z_0$. Given a positive integer number k   we explicitly construct families of piecewise smooth vector fields emerging from _Z0$Z_0$ that have k hyperbolic limit cycles bifurcating from the nondegenerate Σ  -center of _Z0$Z_0$ (the same holds for k=∞$k=\infty$). Moreover, we also exhibit families of piecewise smooth vector fields of codimension k   emerging from _Z0$Z_0$. As a consequence we prove that _Z0$Z_0$ has infinite codimension.     

On the number of limit cycles of some systems on the cylinder

In this article we give two criteria for bounding the number of non-contractible limit cycles of a family of differential systems on the cylinder. This family includes Abel equations as well as the polar expression of several types of planar polynomial systems given by the sum of three homogeneous vector fields.     

Relationships between limit cycles and algebraic invariant curves for quadratic systems

Algebraic limit cycles for quadratic systems started to be studied in 1958. Up to now we know 7 families of quadratic systems having algebraic limit cycles of degree 2, 4, 5 and 6. Here we present some new results on the limit cycles and algebraic limit cycles of quadratic systems. These results provide sometimes necessary conditions and other times sufficient conditions on the cofactor of the invariant algebraic curve for the existence or nonexistence of limit cycles or algebraic limit cycles. In particular, it follows from them that for all known examples of algebraic limit cycles for quadratic systems those cycles are unique limit cycles of the system.     

Non-nested configuration of algebraic limit cycles in quadratic systems

This work deals with algebraic limit cycles of planar polynomial differential systems of degree two. More concretely, we show among other facts that a quadratic vector field cannot possess two non-nested algebraic limit cycles contained in different irreducible invariant algebraic curves.     

No limit cycle in two species second order kinetics

We give a new and direct proof of the nonexistence of limit cycle in a bimolecular system and the characterization of the unique bimolecular oscillator. The proof is an application of classification theorems on vector fields with homogeneous second degree polynomial perturbations.     

On the 16th Hilbert problem for limit cycles on nonsingular algebraic curves

We give an upper bound for the maximum number N of algebraic limit cycles that a planar polynomial vector field of degree n can exhibit if the vector field has exactly k nonsingular irreducible invariant algebraic curves. Additionally we provide sufficient conditions in order that all the algebraic limit cycles are hyperbolic. We also provide lower bounds for N.