A class of contact invariants of systems of ordinary differential equations (Q1022230)

For a linear ordinary differential equation \(y^{(k+1)}+P_k(x)\,y^{(k)}+\cdots+P_0(x)\,y=0\) a complete system \(\theta_2,\ldots,\theta_{k+1}\) of invariants with respect to transformations of the variables preserving the class of linear equations was constructed by [\textit{E.\,J.\, Wilczynski}, Projective differential geometry of curves and ruled surfaces. Teubner Leipzig, (1905)]. \textit{Y. Se-ashi} in [A geometric construction of Laguerre-Forsyth's canonical forms of linear ordinary differential equations. Progress in differential geometry. Tokyo: Kinokuniya Company Ltd. Adv. Stud. Pure Math. 22, 265-297 (1993; Zbl 0842.34015)] generalized these invariants to the case of linear systems and reduced them to invariants of non-parametric curves in the Grassmannian \(\text{Gr}_m\left({\mathbb R}^{k+1}\otimes{\mathbb R}^{m}\right)\). Here, without proof, the author gives two theorems stating that these invariants are polynomials in the coefficients \(P_k\) and that contact invariants of arbitrary non-linear systems of ordinary differential equations can be derived from them.