First order perturbation and local stability of parametrized systems (Q294387)

An algorithm using Gröbner bases to compute solutions and sensitivities to perturbations for parametrized problems that may be expressed as vanishing sets of polynomial ideals, and in particular to geometric configuration problems is presented. For the class of problems under consideration it is shown that the computations can be made tractable by treating the perturbations as first-order infinitesimals. A method for determining when perturbations in one parameter will lead to global changes in the form of the result, e.g. fewer solutions, is demonstrated. The ways in which this computation might fail due to the lack of genericity of the input are described. Conditions under which nonfailure implies genericity of the central configuration are formulated.