Unstable manifold, Conley index and fixed points of flows (Q2252109)

The authors consider a (global) flow \(\phi\) on a locally compact metric space with an isolated invariant continuum \(K\). Denote by \(W^u(K)\) the unstable manifold. A compact section \(S\) of the ``truncated unstable manifold'' \(W^u(K)\setminus K\) is called initial if the negative omega-limit \(\omega^*(S)\) is contained in \(K\). The authors prove that \(S\) is initial iff the map \(h:S\times(-\infty,0]\to \{x\in W^u(K)\setminus K\mid \phi_tx\in S \text{ with } t\geq0\}\) defined by \((x, t) \mapsto \phi_t x\) is a homeomorphism. Special consideration is given to the case \(M=\mathbb{R}^2\). In this case the authors calculate the Conley index of \(K\) in terms of the (finite number) of connected components of \(S\) and \(\mathbb{R}^2\setminus K\). A compact invariant set \(K\) of \(\phi\) is called a saddle if there is a neighbourhood \(U\) of \(K\) in \(M\) such that for every neighbourhood \(V\subset U\) of \(K\) there is an \(x\in V\) such that the orbit of \(x\) leaves \(U\) in the past and in the future. Let again \(M=\mathbb{R}^2\) and let \(X\) be a smooth plane vector field and \(\phi\) the flow generated by \(\dot{x}=-X(x)\) and \(K\) an isolated invariant continuum of \(\phi\) that does not contain fixed points. The authors prove that in this situation \(K\) is a non-saddle disconnecting the plane into two components, hence either a limit cycle or a closed annulus bounded by two limit cycles.