The Mathieu differential equation and generalizations to infinite fractafolds (Q2300999)

The paper studies the Mathieu differential equation \[ u''(t) + (\delta + \varepsilon \cos{t})u(t) = 0 \tag{1} \] with fixed real parameters \(\delta\) and \(\varepsilon\). This equation has applications in problems with periodically varying driving forces or in the study of partial differential equations in elliptic geometry. The stability of equation (1) on the real line is investigated, i.e., the authors determine for which combinations of \(\delta\) and \(\varepsilon\) every solution is bounded for all \(t\in\mathbb{R}\). The problem is transformed into a system of equations for the Fourier coefficients. The behaviour of the Fourier coefficients is studied and stable and unstable regions are numerically found. The paper also studies the behaviour of equation (1) on fractals; in particular on an infinite Sierpiński gasket.