Liénard dynamics with an open limit orbit (Q5937992)

The author studies the existence of an open limit orbit in the planar Liénard system \[ \dot x= y-F(x),\qquad \dot y= -g(x), \tag{1} \] where \(F\) and \(g\) are sufficiently smooth and \(F(0)=0\), \(xg(x)>0\) if \(x\neq 0\). An open limit orbit to system (1) is an orbit \(\Gamma\) whose \(\alpha\)- and \(\omega\)-limit sets are the origin \(O\) and the homoclinic loop \(\Gamma\cup O\) is the \(\omega\)-limit set for some orbit to (1). The problem bears a near relation to global weak attractivity of the origin. Sufficient conditions under which system (1) has an open limit orbit are given. This result is illustrated by a concrete example and its global phase portrait. Sufficient conditions for the origin to be a global attractor (every orbit approaches the origin as \(t\to +\infty\)) are also presented.