On the conditions of a center of the Liénard equation (Q1322303)

This paper addresses a classical problem: Determine sufficient conditions for the Liénard system, \(\dot x= v\), \(\dot v= -f(x)v- g(x)\) or \(\dot x= y- F(x)\), \(\dot y= -g(x)\) to have a center. There are many results related to this problem, several of which are subsumed by the theorems presented in the paper. The novel approach that makes this possible is the statement of results in terms of an auxiliary function \(r\). This function appears, for example, in one of the main theorems in the paper as follows: Suppose \(F\) and \(g\) are odd functions with \(g\) positive for \(x> 0\). If there is a positive constant \(a> 0\) and a continuous function \(r(x)\) defined on \(0< x< a\) such that on this interval \(r(x)\geq | F(x)|> 0\) and \((1/r(x))\int_ 0^ x (g(u)/r(u))du\) is bounded above \(1/4\), then the origin is a center. By choosing \(r(x)\) appropriately, for example \(r(x)= | F(x)|\), a classic theorem of \textit{Z. Opial} [Ann. Polon. Math. 5, 67-75 (1958; Zbl 0085.074)] is immediate. In a similar manner, many other results, as detailed in the paper, are generalized.