A cyclic system with delay and its characteristic equation (Q2178715)

The subject of the paper is the cyclic system of delay differential equations of the form \[ \dot x_i(t) + \lambda_i x_i(t) = f_i(x_{i+1}(t-\tau_{i+1})), \quad i=1,\dots,n-1, \] \[ \dot x_n(t) + \lambda_n x_n(t) = f_n(x_{1}(t-\tau_{1})), \] where the functions \(f_k\) satisfy either positive (\(xf_k(x)>0\) for all \(x\ne 0\)) or negative (\(xf_k(x)<0\)) feedback conditions. The characteristic equation of this system has the relatively simple form \[ (z+\lambda_i)(z+\lambda_2)\cdots (z+\lambda_n) + a e^{-\tau z} = 0 \] and it is studied in detail. Then, the knowledge about the zeros of the characteristic equation is related to properties of the solutions of the nonlinear system. In particular, sufficient conditions for the oscillation of all solutions and for the existence of monotone solutions are given.