Darboux integrability and the inverse integrating factor. (Q1413199)

Consider planar (real or complex) polynomial vector fields \(X=P(x,y)\partial_x+Q(x,y)\partial_y\) having a Darboux first integral of the form \[ H= f_1^{\lambda_1}\cdots f_p^{\lambda_p} \left( \exp\left( {h_1}\over {g_1} \right) \right)^{\mu_1} \cdots \left( \exp\left({h_q}\over{g_q} \right) \right)^{\mu_q}, \] where \(f_i, g_i\) and \(h_i\) are polynomials and the \(\lambda_i\) and \(\mu_i\) are complex numbers. Recall that, given a first integral \(F\) of a planar differential equation, its associated \textit{inverse integrating factor} is given by \(V_F=-P/(\partial F/\partial y)=Q/(\partial F/\partial x).\) The authors prove that under some additional hypotheses on \(H,\) \(V_{\log (H)}\) is a rational inverse integrating factor of the vector field. They also study conditions to ensure that the differential equation has a polynomial inverse integrating factor. Two nice tools are used along this paper: the notion of \textit{remarkable values} of a rational first integral, a concept already introduced by Poincaré, and of \textit{nth-ecstatic curve,} \({E}_{n}(X),\) associated to a planar vector field \(X,\) that already appears in the work of the Russian mathematician M. N. Lagutinskii (1871--1915). Let us recall them: Given \(H=f/g,\) a rational first integral of \(X,\) it is said that a complex number \(c\) (or infinity) is a remarkable value of \(H\) if \(f+cg\) is a reducible polynomial in the space of complex polynomials. Here, if \(c=\infty\) then \(f+cg\) denotes \(g\). The nth-ecstatic curve is given by \[ E_{n}(X)=\det \left( \begin{matrix} v_1 & v_2 & \cdots & v_l \\ X(v_1) & X(v_2) & \cdots & X(v_l) \\ \vdots & \vdots & \cdots & \vdots \\ X^{l-1}(v_1) & X^{l-1}(v_2) & \cdots & X^{l-1}(v_l) \end{matrix} \right)= 0 \, , \] where \(v_1, v_2, \ldots, v_l\) is any basis of the vector space of complex polynomials in \(x,y\) of degree at most \(n,\) (hence \(l=(n+1)(n+2)/2\)), \(X^0(v_i)= v_i\) and \(X^j(v_i)= X^{j-1}(X(v_i))\). It can be seen that the above definition does not depend on the particular basis chosen. The interesting result is that for a planar vector field \(X,\) \(E_n(X) \equiv 0\) and \(E_{n-1}(X) \not\equiv 0\) if, and only if, \(X\) admits a rational first integral of exact degree \(n\).