Reduction to transversality of curves in the construction of a Dulac function (Q2459701)

Consider the real autonomous system of differential equations \[ {dx\over dt}= P(x,y),\qquad {dy\over dt}= Q(x,y),\tag{1} \] \((x,y)\in \Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^2\), \(P,Q\in C^2(\Omega)\). Main result: Let system (1) be defined in a simply connected domain \(\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^2\). If there exists a function \(\Psi\in C^2(\Omega)\) and a number \(k\in\mathbb{R}\), \(k\neq 0\), such that \({d\Phi\over dt}|_{\Phi= 0}\neq 0\) in \(\Omega\), where \[ \Phi= k\Psi\Biggl({\partial P\over\partial x}+{\partial Q\over\partial y}\Biggr)+ {\partial\Psi\over\partial x}\;P+{\partial\Psi\over\partial y}\;Q, \] then the limit cycles of system (1) do not meet the curve \(\Phi= 0\) and the system has at most one limit cycle in each doubly connected subdomain \(\Omega_i\subset\Omega\) lying in one of the domains where either \(\Psi> 0\) or \(\Psi< 0\) and, simultaneously, either \(\Phi> 0\) or \(\Phi< 0\); moreover, the limit cycle, if it exists at all, is structurally stable.