Bifurcations of equilibria in non-smooth continuous systems (Q857178)

The author considers bifurcations of equilibria of systems of the form \(\dot x = f(x, \mu)\), where \(x \in {\mathbb R}^n\), \(\mu \in {\mathbb R}\), and \(f\) is continuous but not everywhere differentiable. An example, treated in detail in the paper, is \[ \dot x_1 = x_2, \quad \dot x_2 = -x_1 + | x_1 + \mu| - | x_1 - \mu| - x_2 - | x_2 + \mu| + | x_2 - \mu|, \] which possesses a so-called ``switching set'' \(\Sigma\) given by \(x_1 = \pm \mu\) and \(x_2 = \pm \mu\). A generalized Jacobian is defined on the switching set \(\Sigma\) in terms of the convex hull of ordinary Jacobians off \(\Sigma\); this set-valued object defines a collection of eigenvalues that can have multiple crossings of the imaginary axis as \(\mu\) is varied. The paper studies the bifurcations that arise, some of which have no counterpart from the theory of smooth systems.