Ultimate boundedness of solutions for a generalized Liénard equation with forcing term (Q1338398)

We prove the ultimate boundedness of solutions for the Liénard equation with time dependent restoring force \(g(t,x)\) such that (1) \(\ddot x + f(\dot x) \dot x + g(t,x) = e(t)\), where \(e(t)\) is continuous and bounded, \(g(t,x)\) satisfies a standard condition and there exist positive constants \(k\), \(\lambda>1\) and \(A\) such that (2) \(f(y) \geq k | y |^ \lambda\) for \(| y | \geq A\). The condition (2) is motivated by Rayleigh's equation (3) \(\ddot x + k({1 \over 3} \dot x^ 3 - \dot x) + g(x) = 0\). We also show that \(\lambda = 1\) is critical. The same type of theorem was obtained by M. L. Cartwright and H. P. E. Swinnerton-Dyer in 1974, although it does not cover (3).