On vector fields with prescribed limit cycles (Q2468833)

Suppose \(H: \mathbb R^2 \to \mathbb R\) is a real analytic function and \(c \in \mathbb R\) is such that \(L^c := \{ (x,y) : H(x,y) = c \}\) is a collection of isolated ovals. The author addresses the problem of finding a system of ordinary differential equations on \(\mathbb R^2\) for which every oval in \(L^c\) is a limit cycle, in the sense of having a tubular neighborhood that contains no other periodic orbit of the system. After a review of previous solutions to the problem he offers one more solution, \[ dy /dx = - (H_x + \beta (y - b) \xi(H) ) / (H_y + \alpha (x - a) \eta(H)), \] where \(\alpha\), \(\beta\), a, and b are real numbers and \(\xi\) and \(\eta\) are real analytic functions that satisfy \(\xi(c) = \eta(c) = 0\) and \(\alpha \eta(H) - \beta \xi(H)\) is not the zero function.