Periodic solutions of non-autonomous second order systems with superlinear terms (Q1199791)

Consider the non-autonomous system \(-\ddot y-Ay=\nabla V(t,y)\) where \(A\) is an \(N\times N\) symmetric matrix, \(V\in C^ 1([0,1]\times R^ n,R)\) is \(T\)-periodic in \(t\) and satisfies the following assumptions: \((V_ 1)\) \(V(t,y)=o(| y|^ 2)\) at \(y=0\); \((V_ 2)\) There is an \(\bar r>0\) and \(\theta\in(0,1/2)\) such that \(0<V(t,y)\leq\theta(y,\nabla V(t,y))\) for \(| y|\geq\bar r\), where \((\;,\;)\) is the inner product in \(R^ n\); \((V_ 4)\) For \(r>0\) either (a) \(V(t,y)\geq0\) for any \(| y|\leq r\), \(t\in[0,T]\) or (b) \(V(t,y)<0\) for \(| y|\leq r\), \(y\neq 0\), \(t\in[0,T]\). The main result is the following: Theorem. Suppose that \(V\) satisfies \((V_ 1)\) and \((V_ 2)\). (1) If 0 is not an eigenvalue of \(-d^ 2/dt^ 2-A\) (with periodic boundary condition) then the system has a nontrivial \(T\)-periodic solution. (2) If 0 is an eigenvalue of \(-d^ 2/dt^ 2-A\) (with \(T\) periodic boundary condition) and \(V\) also satisfies \((V_ 4)\) then the system has a nontrivial \(T\)-periodic solution. --- This result extends a theorem given by P. Rabinowitz.