Stability criteria for differential equations with variable time delays (Q3150488)

This paper is concerned with the linear stability of the delayed logistic equation \( U'(t) = U(t) ( 1 - U(t - \sigma(t)))\) with different kinds of variable delays \( \sigma = \sigma (t)\) around the non trivial steady state \( U(t)=1 \). Setting \( U(t) = 1 + u(t)\) and considering the linear part, the linear stability is governed by the equation \( u'(t) = - u( t - \sigma (t)) \). In this context the authors study two kinds of delays \( \sigma = \sigma (t) \). First, a stepwise function with period \(T\) given by \( \sigma(t)=0 \) for \( t \in [ nT, (n+1/2)T)\) and \( \sigma(t) = T/2 \) for \( t \in [ ( n+1/2)T, (n+1)T)\) and second a raised sawtooth function defined by: \( \sigma (t) = t + k T - T [ t/T ], \) for \( k=0,1, \dots \). With these sigma-functions and using the method of steps and the principle of the argument the authors give conditions on \(T\) that ensure either the linear asymptotic stability or the instability under certain initial conditions. Some numerical simulations with MatLab Simulink are presented to compare with the analytical solutions in the linear case and also to study some nonlinear problems.