Divergence of \(C^{1}\) vector fields and nontrivial minimal sets on 2-manifolds (Q2464144)

It is well known that a \(C^1\)-smooth vector field on a 2-manifold can have compact minimal sets which are not periodic orbits and are locally homeomorphic to the product of an open interval and a Cantor set (such minimal sets are called nontrivial). The author proves a Bendixson-Dulac type criterion for the nonexistence of nontrivial compact minimal sets of \(C^1\)-smooth vector fields on orientable, connected, smooth 2-manifolds. Let \(M\) be an orientable, connected, smooth 2-manifold oriented by a \(C^{\infty}\)-smooth volume 2-form \(\omega\), and \(X\) be a \(C^1\)-smooth vector field on \(M\). Then the divergence of \(X\) with respect to the form \(\omega\) is defined as the unique continuous function \(\text{div}_{\omega} X : M \to {\mathbb R}\) such that \(d (i_X \omega) = (\text{div}_{\omega} X) \omega\). It is known that the (local) flow of \(X\) preserves \(\omega\) if and only if \(\text{div}_{\omega} X = 0\). The main result of the paper is following. If there exists a \(C^{\infty}\)-smooth volume \(2\)-form \(\omega\) on \(M\) such that \(\text{div}_{\omega} X \geq 0\) everywhere on \(M\), then the vector field \(X\) has no nontrivial compact minimal set. As a corollary of this theorem the author get that all the nontrivial compact minimal sets of a \(C^1\)-smooth vector field on an orientable, connected, smooth 2-manifold are contained in the vanishing set of any inverse integrating factor. From this he also obtains the following result: if \(A \subset M\) is a nontrivial compact minimal set of \(X\), then every infinitesimal symmetry of \(X\) is inessential on~\(A\).