A uniqueness criterion of limit cycles for planar polynomial systems with homogeneous nonlinearities (Q2405383)

The system of ordinary differential equations \[ \dot x = a x - y + P_n(x,y), \quad \dot y = x + a y + Q_n(x,y), \tag{1} \] where \(P_n\) and \(Q_n\) are either identically zero or homogeneous polynomials of degree \(n\), is expressed in polar coordinates as \[ \dot r = a r + r^n \varphi(\theta), \quad\dot \theta = 1 + r^{n-1} \psi(\theta).\tag{2} \] It is known that no limit cycle in the phase portrait of (1) that surrounds the origin can meet the curve \(\dot \theta = 0\), so (2) may be replaced by \(dr / d\theta = \dot r / \dot \theta\), which in turn becomes an Abel equation under the substitution \(\rho = r^{n-1} [ 1 + r^{n-1} \psi(\theta)]^{-1}\), \(\theta = 2 \pi \tau\), i.e., takes the form \(\dot x = a_3(t) x^3 + a_2(t0 x^2 + a_1(t) x\). Many results on the number of limit cycles of (1) surrounding the origin have been derived based on \(\psi\) and \(\varphi\), often using properties of Abel's equation. The main result of this work, also going over to Abel''s equation, is that a sharp upper bound is 1 provided \((n - 1) a \psi(\theta) + \dot \psi(\theta) \neq 0\). The authors also give a condition that there exist at least one such cycle.