Bifurcation analysis of parametrically excited Rayleigh--Liénard oscillators (Q5960050)

The author investigates a one degree of freedom oscillator with cubic restoring force and with a complicated damping term, the coefficient of which is the sum of quadratic and fourth-order terms of the state variable and a quadratic term of the velocity. Applying an asymptotic perturbation method based on Fourier expansion and time scaling, the original equation is transformed into two coupled equations for amplitude and phase of the solution. By means of a number of analytical concepts of nonlinear oscillation theory such as Poincaré-Bendixson theorem, Dulac criterion and energy considerations, the autor presents a global discussion of various qualitative aspects of the solutions, depending on the amount of parametric excitation. Among others limit cycles, homoclinic orbits and a period doubling route to chaos have been identified. Sample numerical integrations are in good agreement with analytically found results. Although confined to a single second-order nonlinear differential equation, this paper is strongly recommended to those readers who are interested to see how the analytical methods mentioned above can be applied to such systems.