Bifurcation of synchronized periodic solutions in systems of coupled oscillators. I: Perturbation results for weak and strong coupling (Q1328249)

A system of differential equations of the type (1) \(\dot x_ i= f(x_ i)+ \delta P(x_ 0- x_ i)\), \(i= 1,\dots,N\), \(\dot x_ 0= {\varepsilon \delta\over N} P\left(\sum^ N_{i=1} x_ i- x_ 0\right)\) is considered. Here \(P\) is a constant non-singular \(n\times n\)-matrix, and the system \(\dot x= f(x)\) admits a non-constant periodic solution for which 1 is a simple multiplier. The author calls a solution \(x_ 0(t)\), \(x_ i(t)\), \(i= 1,\dots,N\), of (1) synchronized if the evolutions of its subunits \(x_ i(t)\) are all identical. Some theorems stating the existence of synchronized periodic solutions of (1) when \(\varepsilon\delta\) and \(\delta\) are small or large parameters, are proved. In the last cases, \(P\) is required to be a non- stable matrix. The multipliers of these solutions are also studied. [For part II see ibid. 1527-1554 (1993; Zbl 0807.34055), the following review].