Existence of limit cycles for generalized Liénard equations (Q1206960)

For the system (1) \(\dot x=h(y)-F(x)\), \(\dot y=-g(x)\) assume \(F,g,h\in C(\mathbb{R})\), and also (F1) There is a positive number \(a_ 1\) such that \(F\) does not change sign on \([0,a_ 1]\) and is not identically zero, but \(F(0)=F(a_ 1)=0\); (g1) \(g(x)>0\) for \(x>0\); (h1) \(h\) is strictly increasing and odd, and \(h(\mathbb{R})\supset F(\mathbb{R})\); (g2) Let \(I=[a,c]\), \(J=[c,b]\), \(0\leq a<c<b\), there is a function \(\varphi: I\to J\), which is weakly increasing, absolutely continuous, \(g(\varphi(x))\varphi'(x)\geq g(x)\) for a.e. \(x\in I\); (F2) With \(\varphi\) satisfying (g2) we have \(\text{sgn }F(\varphi(x))=-\text{sgn }F(x)\), \(\text{sgn }F(-\varphi(x))=- \text{sgn }F(-x)\), \(| F(\varphi(x))|\geq| F(x)|\), \(| F(-\varphi(x))|>| F(-x)|\) for all \(x\in I\). The following theorem is proved: Theorem. Assume (1) satisfies (F1), (g1) and (h1). Let \(0=a_ 0<a_ 1<a_ 2<\dots<a_ q\), \(q\geq 2\), assume (F2) is satisfied on each of the intervals \(I_ i=[a_{i-1},a_ i]\), \(1\leq i\leq q-1\), with some \(\varphi_ i\) satisfying (g2) and \(J_ i=[a_ i,a_{i+1}]\). Finally assume \(F\) is odd on \([-a_{q-1},a_{q-1}]\) and \(g\) is odd on \([-a_ q,a_ q]\). Then the system (1) has for each \(i\) with \(1\leq i\leq q-1\) at least one limit cycle passing through the open interval \((a_ i,\varphi_ i(a_ i))\) \((\subset(a_ i,a_{i+1}))\) on the \(x\)-axis. There are no closed orbits passing through the interval \([\varphi_ i(a_ i),a_{i+1}]\) for \(1\leq i\leq q-2\) and none for \(i=q-1\) either, if \(F\) is odd on all of \([-a_ q,a_ q]\). The existence part of the well-known results of \textit{G. S. Rychkov} [Differ. Uravn. 11, 390-391 (1975; Zbl 0307.34025)] and \textit{Zhang Zhifen} [Sci. Sin. 23, No. 12, 1502-1510 (1980)] are special cases of this theorem.