A topological characterization of the \(\omega \)-limit sets for analytic flows on the plane, the sphere and the projective plane (Q2456977)

The authors are able to find, up to a topological deformation, a full topological characterization of the \(\omega\)-limit sets of local flows associated to differential equations \(z' = f(z)\) for analytic functions \(f: \mathbb R^2 \to \mathbb R^2\). The \(\omega\)-limit sets are characterized as the boundaries of appropriate subsets of \(\mathbb R^2\). (In the description of these subsets of \(\mathbb R^2\) they use sets they call cactuses, half-planes and chains.) This characterization becomes only slightly simpler when \(f\) is polynomial. The analogous problem is solved for analytic flows on the sphere and the projective plane and it is also explained how to carry on the same program for analytic flows defined on open subsets of these surfaces. The introduction of the paper describes the interesting and long history of the problem.