Bifurcation from relative equilibria of noncompact group actions: Skew products, meanders, and drifts (Q1355998)

Summary: We consider a finite-dimensional, typically noncompact Riemannian manifold \(M\) with a differentiable proper action of a possible non-compact Lie group \(G\). We describe \(G\)-equivariant flows in a tubular neighborhood \(U\) of a relative equilibrium \(G\cdot u_0\), \(u_0\in M\), with compact isotropy \(H\) of \(u_0\), by a skew product flow \(\dot g=g {\mathbf a} (v)\), \(\dot v= \varphi(v)\). Here \(g\in G\), \({\mathbf a} \in\text{alg} (G)\). The vector \(v\) is in a linear slice \(V\) to the group action. The induced local flow on \(G\times V\) is equivariant under the action of \((g_0,h)\in G\times H\) on \((g,v)\in G\times V\), given by \((g_0,h)(g,v) =(g_0gh^{-1}, hv)\). The original flow on \(U\) is equivalent to the induced flow on \(\{id\} \times H\)-orbits in \(G\times V\). Applications to relative equivariant Hopf bifurcation in \(V\) are presented, clarifying phenomena like periodicity, meandering, and drifting. Specific illustrations involving Euclidean groups \(G\) are meandering spirals, in the plane, and drifting twisted scroll rings, in three-dimensional Belousov-Zhabotinsky media.