Linearization of smooth planar vector fields around singular points via commuting flows (Q2518216)

The authors consider a very famous and classical problem (linearization of a planar vector field in a neighborhood of elementary or nilpotent singular point) from some new viewpoint (through commuting vector fields). Namely, they deal with vector fields of the form \[ X = (a_{11}x + a_{12}y + \cdots) \frac{\partial}{\partial x} + (a_{21}x + a_{22}y + \cdots) \frac{\partial}{\partial y}, \quad (x,y) \in ({\mathbb C}^2,0), \tag{1} \] where the dots denote terms of degree \(\geq 2\), and the matrix \(A=(a_{ij})\) of the linear part of \(X\) has Jordan form \(A_1 = \left(\begin{smallmatrix} \lambda & 0 \\ 0 & \mu \\ \end{smallmatrix}\right)\) or \(A_2 = \left(\begin{smallmatrix} \lambda & 1 \\ 0 & \lambda \\ \end{smallmatrix}\right)\) with the eigenvalues \(\lambda, \mu \in {\mathbb C}\) such that \(\mu \neq 0\) (note that \(\lambda\) can be equal to zero). The case \(\lambda \neq 0\) goes back to H. Poincaré, H. Dulac and C. L. Siegel (in the analytical category), K. Chen and S. Sternberg (in the \(C^{\infty}\)-smooth category). Later the problem of linearization (in more general context, normal form) for the vector field \(X\) either with \(\lambda \neq 0\) or \(\lambda = 0\) was studied by various authors (in the analytical, \(C^{\infty}\)-smooth, and finite-smooth categories either in real or complex space). More general results were obtained by \textit{A. D. Bryuno} [A local method of nonlinear analysis for differential equations (Russian). Moskva: Nauka (1979; Zbl 0496.34002) and Local methods in nonlinear differential equations. Part I: The local method of nonlinear analysis of differential equations; Part II: The sets of analyticity of a normalizing transformation. Springer Series in Soviet Mathematics. Berlin etc.: Springer-Verlag (1989; Zbl 0674.34002)] in the analytical category, and by \textit{F.~Takens} [Topology 10, 133--147 (1971; Zbl 0214.22901)] and \textit{V.~S.~Samovol} [Trans. Mosc. Math. Soc. 1983, No. 2, 217--237 (1983; Zbl 0555.34030)] in the smooth category. A detailed summary can be found in [\textit{V. I. Arnol'd} and \textit{Yu. S. Il'yashenko}, Encycl. Math. Sci. 1, 1--148 (1988; Zbl 0659.58012)]. In the present paper the authors use an alternative approach to this problem based on the result from the previous work [\textit{J. Giné} and \textit{M. Grau}, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 319, No. 1, 326--332 (2006; Zbl 1102.34310)]. A smooth (resp. analytic) vector field \(X\) of the form (1) with \(A \neq 0\) is linearizable if, and only if, there exists a smooth (resp. analytic) vector field \(Y = (x+\cdots)\frac{\partial}{\partial x} + (y+\cdots)\frac{\partial}{\partial x}\) such that \([X,Y] \equiv 0\), \(X \wedge Y \not\equiv 0\), where square bracket mean the Lie bracket. In this case the vector field \(Y\) is called a nontrivial commutator of \(X\). Let \(\tau: (x,y) \mapsto (u=x+\cdots, v=y+\cdots)\) be a smooth change of variables getting the germ of \(X\) at the origin to its linear part. The main theorems of the present paper concern the expression of \(\tau\) through the given nontrivial commutator \(Y\) for the vector field \(X\) of the form (1) with \(A=A_1\), \(\lambda \neq \mu\), or \(A=A_2\). The authors also prove that for a smooth vector field \(X\) of the form (1) with \(A=I\) there exists a smooth nontrivial commutator \(Y\) of the form (1) with \(A=A_1\), where \(0 \neq \lambda \neq \mu \neq 0\) and \(\lambda/\mu \notin {\mathbb Q}^{-}\), and obtain a similar expression of \(\tau\) throught \(X\) and \(Y\). Finally, they apply their method to obtain the linearization of some extracted examples: quadratic Lotka-Volterra systems, isochronous center, linearizable hyperbolic saddle.