Every period annulus is both reversible and symmetric (Q1707525)

An open and connected subset of the phase space of a planar system of ordinary differential equations that is covered with concentric non-trivial cycles, is known as a period annulus. Here, the author shows that planar systems which possess a period annulus are both reversible and symmetric on that annulus. Specifically, he proves that there exists a unique involution \(\sigma\) such that every cycle in the annulus is \(\sigma\)-symmetric. Similarly, he shows that every period annulus admits infinitely many involutions \(\sigma\) such that the flow is \(\sigma\)-reversible on the annulus; moreover the curve of fixed points of \(\sigma\) can be chosen arbitrarily. The author gives an explicit construction for \(\sigma\) in both scenarios. Remarkably, no non-degeneracy conditions are imposed on the system in either scenario.