Generalized Hopf bifurcation for planar vector fields via the inverse integrating factor (Q548099)

In this paper we study the maximum number of limit cycles that can bifurcate from a focus singular point \(p_{0}\) of an analytic, autonomous differential system in the real plane under an analytic perturbation. We consider \(p_{0}\) being a focus singular point of the following three types: non-degenerate, degenerate without characteristic directions and nilpotent. In a neighborhood of \(p_{0}\) the differential system can always be brought, by means of a change to (generalized) polar coordinates \((r, \theta )\), to an equation over a cylinder in which the singular point \(p _{0}\) corresponds to a limit cycle \(\gamma_{0}\). This equation over the cylinder always has an inverse integrating factor which is smooth and non-flat in \(r\) in a neighborhood of \(\gamma_{0}\). We define the notion of vanishing multiplicity of the inverse integrating factor over \(\gamma_{0}\). This vanishing multiplicity determines the maximum number of limit cycles that bifurcate from the singular point \(p_{0}\) in the non-degenerate case and a lower bound for the cyclicity otherwise. Moreover, we prove the existence of an inverse integrating factor in a neighborhood of many types of singular points, namely for the three types of focus considered in the previous paragraph and for any isolated singular point with at least one non-zero eigenvalue.