The Poincaré-Bendixson theorems for two-dimensional semiflows (Q1333764)

The author considers semiflows on 2-manifolds without boundary. A semiflow on a given 2-manifold \(M\) is given by a continuous mapping \(\pi : \mathbb{R}_+ \times M \to M\) such that \(\pi (0,x) = x\) and \(\pi (t, \pi (s,x)) = \pi (t + s,x)\) for all \(x,t,s\). A solution through \(x\) is a function \(\sigma : \mathbb{R} \to M\) such that \[ \sigma (0) = x \quad \text{and} \quad \pi \bigl( t, \sigma (r) \bigr) = \sigma (t + r) \tag{*} \] for any \(t,r\) (in the case discussed in the paper the assumption that solutions are defined in \(\mathbb{R}\) is not essential, since if \(\sigma\) is a solution defined on some interval \(\Delta\), then changing parametrization one can replace \(\Delta\) by \(\mathbb{R})\). By a positive (negative) semi-solution through \(x\), the author means functions \(\sigma\) defined on \([0, \infty)\) \(((- \infty, 0])\) and fulfilling (*). Images of solutions (semi solutions) are called trajectories (semitrajectories). Positive and negative limit sets are defined in a classical way: \[ \begin{aligned} L^+ (x) : & = \bigl\{ y \in M : y = \lim \pi (t_n, x) \text{ for some } t_n \to \infty \bigr\}, \\ L^-_\sigma (x) : & = \bigl\{ y\in M: y = \lim \sigma (t_n) \text{ for some } t_n \to - \infty \bigr\}, \end{aligned} \] where \(\sigma\) is a negative semisolution. Assume that the manifold \(M\) is dichotomic (any Jordan curve cuts \(M\) into two open connected domains). The author proves that: I. If a limit set \(\Lambda\) is connected and does not contain stationary points, then \(\Lambda\) is a single trajectory (Th. 5.2). II. If \(M = \mathbb{R}^2\), a semitrajectory (positive or negative) is bounded, then a limit set \(\Lambda\) associated with this semitrajectory is a single periodic trajectory provided that it does not contain any stationary point. III. If a negative solution \(\sigma\) through \(y\) is contained in any limit set and \(\sigma\) is not periodic, then \(L^-_\sigma (y)\) may only contain stationary points. IV. If \(y\) belongs to a limit set and \(y\) is not periodic, then \(L^+ (y)\) may only contain stationary points. The proofs use certain topological properties and theorems from the theory of semiflows, including previous results of the author (as for instance theorems on existence of sections).