Multiple periodic solutions of state-dependent threshold delay equations (Q414786)

Scalar differential equations with state-dependent delay of the form \(x'(t) = f(x(t-d(x_t)))\) are investigated, where \(f\) has negative feedback, and the delay is determined by the threshold condition \(\int_{t - d(x_t)}^t \theta(x(s)) \, ds = 1\), with a positive function \( \theta\).NEWLINENEWLINEOne major step ist the treatment of the case \(f(x) = - \text{ sign}(x)\), which leads to zig-zag solutions with slope \(\pm 1\) and allows explicit calculations. A Poincaré return map \(P\) can be defined by \(Px_0 = x_{z_1}\), where \(z_1\) is the first zero of the solution \(x\), for initial states \(x_0\) from a set \(\hat K\) of Lipschitz functions \(x_0\) with finitely many zeroes in the interval \([-d(x_0), 0]\). It is shown that the oscillation frequency (expressed by a number of zeros \(n\), which is even) is non-increasing along such solutions. For each even zero number \(n\geq 0\), the restriction of the corresponding Poincaré map \(P = P^{(n)}\) to a suitable subset of \(\hat K\) allows an \(n-\)dimensional description by a map \(F = F^{(n)}\) in terms of the intervals between zeroes. Each \(F^{(n)}\) has a unique period-2-cycle, corresponding to a periodic solution in each oscillation class. It is shown that all these solutions are unstable, except for the one with \(n = 0\). Among techniques which are specific for the state-dependent delay case (as opposed to constant delay), there are `artificial' continuations of functions in backward time, both by constant and by periodic extension.NEWLINENEWLINEFinally, the results are extended to continuous nonlinearities which are sufficiently close to \( - \text{ sign}\). The method used can be described as a continuation of the fixed point index, considered on appropriate sets of Lipschitz initial segments with simple zeroes. The paper contributes significantly to the understanding of the dynamics of equations with state-dependent delay, which is currently not yet much developed.