A generalization of the method of averaging for systems with two time scales

In this paper we shall consider systems of the form x = ? f(t, ?t, x, y, ?), y = g(t,?t, x, y,?), where x and y are vectors of finite dimensions, f and g are assumed to be bounded for all t, and ? is a real parameter. Sufficient conditions are obtained for the existence of certain solutions which are bounded for all t. These solutions are shown to approach special solutions of a derived simpler averaged system of equations as ? → 0. Moreover, it is shown that there exists only one such bounded solution in the neighborhood of each special solution. In the special case when y is not present, it is shown that if a special solution is stable, solutions starting in nonlocal neighborhoods of this special solution approach the bounded solutions adjacent to it as t → ∞. These results generalize most of the existing work for systems of the type discussed here. Finally, we employ our results to study some problems of physical importance.