Stability for non-hyperbolic fixed points of scalar difference equations (Q2568194)

It is well-known that if \(c\) is an isolated fixed point of a continuously differentiable scalar real map \(f\), then \(c\) is asymptotically stable for the (semi)discrete dynamical system generated by \(f\) if \(| f'(c)| <1\), and it is unstable if \(| f'(c)| >1\). The nonhyperbolic case \(| f'(c)| =1\) can be addressed by using Taylor's theorem if more regularity on \(f\) is assumed. The main part of this paper is devoted to this topic, and the results are closely related to those of [\textit{F. M. Dannan, S. N. Elaydi} and \textit{V. Ponomarenko}, J. Difference Equ. Appl. 9, No. 5, 449--457 (2003; Zbl 1054.47043)], a reference that seems to be unknown to the author. In the second part of the paper, the author gives an interesting application to the stability properties of higher dimensional discrete dynamical systems, by using a reduction based on the center manifold theory.