The number of limit cycles in planar systems and generalized Abel equations with monotonous hyperbolicity (Q1030090)

The paper gives a new criterion for the existence of at most two limit cycles for some families of planar vector fields. Its main hypothesis is given in terms of the monotonicity of one stability operator along the solutions of a suitable transversal vector field. This result is also applied to give a uniqueness of limit cycles result as well as to the family of vector fields \[ x'=-yA(x,y)+x B(x,y),\quad y'=x A(x,y)+yB(x,y) \] and to some types of generalized Abel equations. The hypothesis holds when a suitable convexity property is satisfied. We recall that in the paper, given a planar vector field \(X,\) it is said that a real valued function \(\alpha\) is a \textit{stability operator} if for any periodic orbit \(\Gamma=\{\gamma(t)\}\) of period \(T\) of \(X\), the sign of \(\int_0^T \alpha(\gamma(t))\,dt\) coincides with the sign of the characteristic exponent of \(\Gamma.\) Examples of stability operators are the divergence of the vector field or the curvature of a suitable orthogonal vector field to \(X.\)