Estimating the number of limit cycles in polynomial systems (Q973978)

The authors use algorithms of computational algebra to derive an upper bound for the number of limit cycles bifurcating from a center or a focus of a polynomial vector field. For the cubic system \[ \dot x= x+ ax^2+ bxy+ cy^3,\qquad \dot y= -y+ kxy+ my^2+ lx^3, \] it is proved that, in the generic case, at most six limit cycles can bifurcate from any center or focus at the origin of the system.