Periodic solutions of a class of second order functional differential equations (Q2577866)

The authors consider forced second-order differential equations with delays of the form \[ ax''(t)+b(x'(t))^{2k-1}+ c(x'(t))^{2k-1}+g(x(t-\tau_1),x'(t-\tau_2))=p(t), \] where \(k\) is a positive integer and the forcing \(p(t)\) is periodic. Under certain restrictions on the growth of \(g\), it is proven that the equation has at least one periodic solution with the same period as that of \(p(t)\). The proofs use Mawhin's continuation theorem for nonlinear perturbations of linear operators with a nontrivial kernel [\textit{R. E. Gaines} and \textit{J. L. Mawhin}, Coincidence degree and nonlinear differential equations. Lecture Notes in Mathematics. 568. Berlin-Heidelberg-New York: Springer Verlag (1977; Zbl 0339.47031)]. The restrictions on the growth of \(g\) are used in deriving the a-priori bounds required on periodic solutions.