Polynomial inverse integrating factors for polynomial vector fields (Q2372735)

The authors study the planar polynomial vector field \[ X(x,y)=P(x,y)\partial_x+ Q(x,y)\partial_y \] having an inverse integrating factor \(V(x,y)\), that is \(d(V^{-1}Qdx-V^{-1}Pdy)=0\). The main result is that in any of the cases: (i) \(X\) is homogeneous, (ii) \(X\) is quasi-homogeneous, and (iii) \(X\) is of degree 2 and has a center, the vector field \(X\) has a polynomial inverse integrating factor. The authors also give an example of a vector field \(X\), \(\deg X=4\) with a center and no polynomial inverse integrating factor, as well as an example with \(\deg X=3\) possessing a rational first integral, but neither polynomial first integral nor polynomial inverse integrating factor.