Existence of harmonic solutions for some generalisation of the non-autonomous Liénard equations (Q2172587)

The authors study the existence of periodic solutions for the scalar Liénard-type equation \[ \frac{d}{dt}\varphi(\dot x)+f(x,\dot x)\dot x+g(x) = e(t), \] where \(\varphi:(-\rho,\rho)\to \mathbb R\) is an increasing homeomorphism. They assume some regularity on the involved continuous functions, and that \(e(t)\) is a \(T\)-periodic forcing. Moreover, there exist a non-well-ordered pair of constant lower/upper solutions \(\beta\) and \(\alpha\), with \(\alpha<0<\beta\) (the reader should be aware that \(\alpha\) is an upper solution and \(\beta\) a lower solution). Under some additional technical assumptions, they are able to prove the existence of a \(T\)-periodic solution. The proof is carried out by the use of the Brouwer fixed point theorem, applied to the Poincaré map. Indeed, the solutions are trapped in a bounded region of the phase plane. Some interesting numerical examples are provided at the end of the paper.