The lower bounds of \(T\)-periodic solutions for the forced Duffing equation (Q5945105)

The author deals with the Duffing differential equation \[ x'' + k x' +g(t,x) = s(1+h(t)), \tag{1} \] with \(k\in \mathbb{R}\), \(h\) and \(g\) continuous functions and \(s\) a parameter. Under the assumptions \(n\in \mathbb{N}\), \(|k|<2n\), \(T\geq 4\pi / \sqrt {4n^2-k^2}\), \(\lim_{x\rightarrow -\infty} g(t,x)=\infty\) uniformly on \([0,2\pi]\) and \[ n^2\leq \liminf _{x\rightarrow \infty} {g(t,x)\over x} \leq \limsup_{x\rightarrow \infty} {g(t,x)\over x} \leq (n+1)^2 \tag{2} \] for \(t\in [0,T]\) and for some nonnegative integer \(n\), where the inequalities in (2) are strict on subsets of \([0,T]\) of positive measure, the author proves that there exist \(h_0 \in (0,1)\) and \(s_0>0\) such that for \(s\geq s_0\) and for a \(T\)-periodic continuous function \(h\) with \(\|h\|_{\sup}<h_0\), equation (1) has at least \(n+1\) \(T\)-periodic solutions. The proofs are based on degree theory, upper and lower solutions method and the twisting theorem.