Covering relations, cone conditions and the stable manifold theorem (Q1007257)

Roughly speaking, an \textsl{\(h\)-set with cones} is the datum of a compact subset of \(\mathbb R^N\) homeomorphic to the product of two closed balls \(\overline{B}_u\times \overline{B}_v\) and a quadratic form \(Q\) given by the difference of two positive definite quadratic forms. Such a set verifies the cone condition if \(\overline{B}_u\) is the ``positive'' (respectively \(\overline{B}_u\) is the ``negative'') part of \(Q\). A map between two \(h\)-sets (which respects the \(h\)-structures of them) satisfies the \textsl{cone condition} provided it is a ``contraction'' or ``expansion'' for the quadratic form \(Q\). The aim of the paper under review is to give an effective link between covering relations and cone conditions. In particular the author provides an alternative proof of the stable/unstable manifold theorem. More precisely, he proves the stabe/unstable manifold theorem under the assumption of the existence of a particular two-point Lyapunov function, a condition satisfied in the hyperbolic case (but examples are given for the non-hyperbolic case as well). The paper includes a detailed comparison with other approaches to the stable/unstable manifold theorem, pointing out values and lacks in respect to the strategy here introduced. Also, an effective study of dependence on parameters of invariants manifolds of hyperbolic fixed points has been done. The analytic case and the ODE case is treated as well.