Centers for a 6-parameter family of polynomial vector fields of arbitrary degree (Q2468514)

The authors study the center-focus problem for a family of real planar polynomial differential equations that in complex notation writes as \[ \dot z= iz+ A z^{n_1}\bar z^{j_1}+ B z^{n_2}\bar z^{j_2}+ C z^{n_3}\bar z^{j_3}, \] when the following hypotheses are assumed: \(A,B\) and \(C\) are non-zero complex numbers; \(n_1,n_2,n_3, j_1,j_2\) and \(j_3\) are non-negative integers; \((n_k,j_k)\neq(n_l,j_l)\) when \(k\neq l\); \(n_k+j_k>1\) for \(k=1,2,3\); \(j_3=n_3-1\); and \(j_k\neq n_k-1\) for \(k=1,2.\) They obtain some subfamilies for which the origin is a center as well as the expression of several Lyapunov quantities. In their computations the authors use that these quantities are quasi homogeneous polynomials in the variables \(A,B,C,\bar A, \bar B, \bar C.\) The problem of the total characterization of the centers is not solved and it is reduced to the study of whether a real constant that appears in a given Lyapunov quantity is or not zero. Some concrete cases are studied in more detail.