Oscillation of equations with an infinite distributed delay (Q623210)

The authors are concerned with the problem of existence, to integrodifferential equations of the form \[ \dot x(t)+ \int^t_{-\infty} x(s) d_s R(t, s)= f(t),\quad t> t_0, \] of nonoscillatory solutions on \([0,\infty)\). The usual initial data are admitted: \[ x(t)= \varphi(t),\quad t< t_0,\quad x(t_0)= x_0. \] An important special case is given by \[ \dot x(t)+ \sum^\infty_{k=1} a_k(t) x(h_k(t))+ \int^t_{-\infty} K(t, s)x(s)\,ds=0. \] After preliminaries, a comparison theorem is established, giving four equivalent conditions to the ultimate positiveness of the fundamental Cauchy solution \(X(t,s)\) of the homogeneous associated equation. This property leads easily to the existence of nonoscillatory solutions. Four examples are constructed and open problems are formulated.