Universal curves in the center problem for Abel differential equations (Q2828026)

Consider the Abel differential equation NEWLINE\[NEWLINE \frac{dv}{dt}= a_{1}(t) \, v^{2} + a_{2}(t) \, v^{3}. NEWLINE\]NEWLINE The equation has a center on \([0,T]\) if for all sufficiently small initial values \(v_{0}\) the corresponding solution satisfies \(v(T)=v(0)=v_{0}\). The center problem is to describe explicitly the set of coefficients \(a_{1}\) and \(a_{2}\) for which the equation has a center. The center is called a universal center if all iterated integrals in \(a_{1},a_{2}\) vanish. A main result in this paper is an algebraic description of a universal curve in terms of a certain homomorphism of its fundamental group into the group of locally convergence invertible power series with the product being the composition of series. Explicit examples of universal curves are presented. Approximation of Lipschitz triangulable curves by universal curves is also given.