Stability switches in distributed delay models (Q1074528)

The authors consider the stability of a linear Volterra integro- differential equation \[ x'(t)+cx(t)=d\int^{t}_{0}g(t-s)x(s)ds \] where g is a gamma distribution of integer order n, \(g(u)=a^{n+1}u^ ne^{-au}/n!\) and \(c>0\), \(d<0\). A misstatement is pointed out in the treatment of this equation by the reviewer and \textit{Z. Grossman} [ibid. 86, 592-627 (1982; Zbl 0492.34064)]. By considering the characteristic equation for imaginary values \(i\omega\) of the argument, and by tracing corresponding geometrical loci as \(\omega\) varies from 0 to \(\infty\), the authors determine how the mean delay \(\tau =(n+1)/a\) affects stability. For \(n\geq 2\), there is a possible ''restabilisation window'' of values of delay within which the trivial solution is stable. The discussion is extended to a ''model with a gap'', in which the kernel in the equation is \(G(u)=0\) for \(0\leq u<\tau_ 1\), and \(G(u)=g(u-\tau_ 1)\) for \(u>\tau_ 1\).