Rank reduction, normal forms and Stokes matrices (Q5947329)

The author deals with the linear differential system \[ dY/dz= z^{r-1} A(z) Y,\tag{1} \] where \(A\) is analytic at \(z=\infty\), with Poincaré rank \(r\). The reduction of the rank is introduced and studied. This procedure associates to system (1) the system \(dY/dt= {1\over r} A(t)Y\), where \(A\) is analytic at \(t=\infty\), with Poincaré rank \(1\). The author chooses the variable \(t= z^r\) and enlarges the dimension of the system \(r\)-times by letting \(Y= (Y,zY,\dots, z^{r-1}Y)\). The reduction of the rank is introduced as the unique solution to a natural problem and is related to the formal meromorphic classification (normal form) and to the convergent meromorphic classification (Stokes matrices).