Multiple periodic solutions for autonomous conservative systems (Q1577643)

Based on variational methods, the authors study the existence of multiple periodic solutions to the following equations \[ \ddot x = V^\prime(x) \] with \(V\in C^1(\mathbb{R}^2,\mathbb{R})\). They prove that if there is a noncontractible closed curve \(\Gamma\) such that \(V\equiv 0\) on \(\Gamma\) and \(V\) is positive in a neighbourhood of \(\Gamma\), then for each \(k\), there exists \(T_k>0\) such that for any \(T>T_k\) the equation has at least \(k\) distinct nontrivial \(T\)-periodic solutions. Moreover, they discuss the behaviour of such solution as the period goes to infinity. As a consequence, the long period solutions are located near \(\Gamma\). The interesting point is that they do not require any assumptions on the behaviour of the potential at infinity.