The periods and periodic solutions of nonlinear jerk equations solved by an iterative algorithm based on a shape function method (Q2187101)

The authors propose a method to find numerically periodic solutions of nonlinear autonomous third-order ordinary differential equations. Since the period for closed orbits of autonomous equations is not known in advance, they first explain the well established method to rescale the time variable to a unit interval. Also an integral expression for the period is given, which of course requires the knowledge of the solution. The method consists in applying a Galerkin procedure with a cubic shape function, for which the authors claim, that it can solve the equations exactly. The authors consider two different cases where the initial condition for the periodic solution is either given or is missing. In the first case a solution could be obtained only, if all solutions are periodic or if an exact point along the trajectory is known. In the second case the periodic solution cannot be unique, since a phase-shifted solution would also be periodic. Finally the authors demonstrate their method using some examples. Reviewer's remark: The authors call their approximation exact and claim that the observed convergence rate is good. A simple comparison with popular boundary value problem solvers, like bvp5c or colsys, would have proved the latters' superiority.