On the critical periods of perturbed isochronous centers (Q2473057)

The authors consider a family of planar systems \[ \dot{x}=X(x,\varepsilon)=X(x)+\varepsilon Y(x) \] with a center at the origin which is isochronous for \(\varepsilon=0\). Theorem 2 discusses the expansion \[ T(h,\varepsilon)=T_0+\varepsilon T_1(h)+O(\varepsilon^2) \] of the period function \(T(h,\varepsilon)\) and provides an explicit formula for \(T_1'(h)\). Moreover, the authors prove that if \(h^*\) is a simple zero of \(T_1'(h)\) then for small \(|\varepsilon|\) there is exactly one critical period of the perturbed system corresponding to a value of \(h\) that tends to \(h^*\) as \(\varepsilon\) tends to zero. Theorem 2 is used to prove that, up to first order in \(\varepsilon\), at most one critical period bifurcates from the periodic orbits of isochronous quadratic systems when they are perturbed inside the class of quadratic reversible centers. Theorem 3, the main result, considers the following version of the planar system, which is obtained by applying a transformation to the Loud form \[ \begin{cases} \dot{x}=-y+\tilde{B}xy\\ \dot{y}=x+(\tilde{D}+\varepsilon D)x^2+(\tilde{F}+\varepsilon F)y^2. \end{cases} \] Theorem 3. Consider the above system with \(|\tilde{B}|+|\tilde{D}|+|\tilde{F}|\not=0\). Fix a compact set \(K\) in the region filled by the periodic orbits of the system at \(\varepsilon=0\). Then for \(|\varepsilon|\) small enough, up to first order in \(\varepsilon\), at most one critical period bifurcates from the periodic orbits of the above system contained in \(K\). (a) When \((\tilde{D}/\tilde{B},\tilde{F}/\tilde{B})=(0,1)\) the critical period can appear if and if only \(-\frac{1}{3}<\frac{D}{F}<0\). (b) When \((\tilde{D}/\tilde{B},\tilde{F}/\tilde{B})=(0,1/4)\) the critical period can appear if and if only \(0<\frac{D}{F}<2\). (c) When \((\tilde{D}/\tilde{B},\tilde{F}/\tilde{B})=(-1/2,1/2)\) there are no critical periods. For \(|\varepsilon|\) small enough, the period function \(T\) is increasing [decreasing] as the closed orbit runs away from the center \((0,0)\) if \(\varepsilon(D+F)\tilde{B}<0\) [\(\varepsilon(D+F)\tilde{B}>0\)]. (d) When \((\tilde{D}/\tilde{B},\tilde{F}/\tilde{B})=(-1/2,2)\) the critical periodic can appear if and if only \(-\frac{3}{2}<\frac{F}{D}<0\).