The multiplier equation and its application to \(S\)-solutions of a differential delay equation (Q1183246)

A solution \(x(t)\) of the scalar retarded equation (1) \(-x'(t)=\alpha f(x(t-1))\), \(\alpha>0\), is said to be slowly oscillatory periodic or SOP if there exists \(q>1\) and \(p>q+1\) such that, up to a time translation, \(x(t)>0\) on \((0,q)\), \(x(t)<0\) on \((q,p)\) and \(x(t+p)=x(t)\) for all \(t\). Such a solution \(x(t)\) is called an \(S\)-solution if, in addition, it satisfies \(p=2q\) and \(x(t+q)=-x(t)\) for all \(t\). Assuming that \(f\) is smooth, say Fréchet differentiable, the equation in variations near the periodic solution \(\bar x(t)\) is (2) \(y'(t)=D_ \varphi f(\bar x_ t)y_ t\) \((D_ \varphi f\) is obtained by differentiation with respect to the initial function \(\varphi\in C[-1,0])\). Suppose that \(U'\) is the solution map for this equation, i.e. \(U':R\times C[-1,0]\to C[-1,0]\), \(U'(t,\psi)=y_ t(\psi)\). Then \(\mu\neq 0\) is called a characteristic or Floquet multiplier, if \(U'(\bar p)h\equiv U'(\bar p,h)=\mu h\) for some \(h\in C[-1,0]\). Denote by \(y(t)=y(t,h)\) the corresponding solution of (2) and put \(X(t)=(\bar x'(\bar p))^{-1}\bar x'(t)\), then it is shown that the multiplier \(\mu\) satisfies the multiplier equation \(-y(\bar p)X_{\bar p}+y_{\bar p}=\mu h\). This equation is used to establish that the \(S\)-solutions of long periods are unique and linearly stable. As an application uniqueness and stability results for SOP solutions for some equations are obtained, e.g. for the Wright's equation \(- x'(t)=\alpha x(t-1)(1+x(t))\) for sufficiently large \(\alpha\).