Functional differential equations of pointwise type: bifurcation (Q2206362)

The differential equation with \(s\) time shifts of the form \[ \dot x(t) = f[t, x(t + d_1(t)), \dots, x(t + d_s(t))] \] is studied, and motivated by its relations to mathematical physics, but these play no further role in the paper. Lipschitz and growth conditions on \(f\) and boundedness of the \(d_i\) give existence and uniqueness of solutions to initial-boundary value problems. This is valid for solutions lying in a space of functions with growth properties characterized by a parameter \(\mu\), if \( \mu\) satisfies an inequality involving the Lipschitz constant of \(f\) and the bounds on the \(d_i\). For \(\dot x(t) = \sum_{j = 1}^s A_j x( t + \tau_j)\), these considerations specialize to counting zeroes of a characteristic function with real parts in a specified interval, which allows statements on bifurcation. These are illustrated with the example \( \dot x(t) = \alpha x(t-1)\).