On positivity conditions for the Cauchy function of functional-differential equations (Q1735123)

Two functional differential equations (FDEs) involving operators on the space of absolutely continuous functions to the space of Lebesgue-summable functions are considered. A comparison theorem for the Cauchy functions and the fundamental solutions to these FDEs is presented under the assumption that the difference of the operators in the FDEs is a monotone totally continuous Voterra operator. In particular, positivity conditions for the Cauchy functions and the fundamental solutions of certain delay differential equations and a neutral differential equation are obtained.