The center problem for a family of systems of differential equations having a nilpotent singular point (Q2467747)

Consider the analytic system of differential equations in the plane \[ (dx/dt, dy/dt))= \sum_{i=0}^\infty F_{q-p+2is}, \] where \(p,q,n\) are natural numbers, \(p\leq q,\) \(s=(n+1)p-q> 0\) and \(F_i=(P_i,Q_i)\) are quasi-homogeneous vector fields of type \((p,q)\) and degree \(i,\) with \(F_{q-p}=(y,0)\) and \(Q_{q-2p+2s}(1,0)<0.\) For \(p\) or \(q\) even the origin is always a time-reversible center. For \(p\) and \(q\) odd the origin is a nilpotent monodromic isolated critical point. In this case the authors prove the existence of a Lyapunov function, with a given quasi-homogeneous structure, which can be used to solve the center-focus problem. This method is used to characterize the centers for several concrete families. For instance it is proved that for the system \[ \begin{aligned} \dot x&=y+a_1 x^5+ a_2 x^2y+ a_3 x^7+ a_4 x^4 y+ a_5 x y^2,\\ \dot y&=-x^7+ b_1 x^4y-a_2xy^2+b_3x^6y+b_4x^3y^2+b_5y^3,\end{aligned} \] the origin is a center if and only if: (i) \(5a_1+b_1=7a_3+b_3=2a_4+b_4=a_5+3b_5=0\) (Hamiltonian system); (ii) \(a_1=a_3=a_5=b_1=b_3=b_5=0\) (time-reversible system); (iii) \(a_2=4a_1^2, b_1=-a_1, b_5=a_1b_4, a_5=a_1(4a_4-b_4).\) This last class is the most interesting one. In this case, the authors prove that the system admits locally a first integral. This is done by showing that through the transformation \(u=x^4+4a_1xy,\) \(v=y^2\) and \(d\tau/dt=4y(x^3+a_1y)\) it writes as \(du/d\tau=1+a_4 u,\) \(dv/d\tau=(b_4v-u)/2\). So the first integral is constructed by transporting the first integral, that by the flow box theorem exists in a neighborhood of the origin, to the original variables.