Global bifurcation of periodic solutions (Q1310496)

Periodic solutions of a family of autonomous ODE depending on a real parameter are investigated. This work was inspired by \textit{J. Mallet- Paret} and \textit{J. A. Yorke}'s paper [J. Differ. Equations 43, 419-450 (1982; Zbl 0487.34038)]. The major difference is that the general case is discussed and not only some generic one (e.g. in the main theorem, which states that the sum of local invariants (of bifurcation of periodic solutions) is equal to zero, where the summation is over all centers lying on the bounded component branch of periodic solutions). The results are illustrated for perturbed Hamiltonian systems whose energy function \(H\) is a Morse function. The authors generalize the finite dimensional versions of the theorems to the Hilbert space setting. The paper contains detailed proofs. The principal tools used are \(S^ 1\)-equivariant degree and complementary function method.