On the polynomial limit cycles of polynomial differential equations (Q532597)

Consider the boundary value problem \[ {dy\over dx}= P(x,y),\qquad y(0)= y(1),\tag{\(*\)} \] where \(P: [0,1]\times \mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\) is a real polynomial in \(x\) and \(y\). An isolated solution \(\varphi(x)\) of \((*)\) is called a limit cycle. If \(\varphi\) is a polynomial, then \(\varphi\) is called a polynomial limit cycle. The authors prove that if \(P\) is a polynomial in \(y\) of degree \(n\), then \((*)\) has at most \(n\) limit cycles. In case \(n= 1\) and \(n= 2\) there are at most \(n\) limit cycles including their multiplicities. In case \(n= 3\), the number of limit cycles is at most 3, but their multiplicity can be unbounded.