Unbounded solutions of third order delayed differential equations with damping term (Q632286)

The authors consider the third order nonlinear differential equation with damping term \[ x'''(t)+q(t)x'(t)-r(t)f(x(\varphi(t)))=0,\tag{1} \] where \(r,\varphi\in C[0,\infty)\), \(\varphi(0)=0\), \(0\leq\varphi(t)\leq t\), \(\lim_{t\to\infty}\varphi(t)=\infty\), \(q\in C^1[0,\infty)\), and \(f\in C(-\infty,\infty)\), \(uf(u)>0\) for \(u\neq 0\). In the paper, globally positive solutions of (1) are studied in the case when the corresponding equation \[ y''(t)+q(t)y(t)=0\tag{2} \] is oscillatory. Necessary and sufficient conditions for all nonoscillatory solutions of (1) to be unbounded are given. Furthermore, oscillation criteria ensuring that any solution of (1) is either oscillatory or unbounded together with its first and second derivatives are presented. The main tools used in the paper are based on the so-called Boruvka phase-function and on some properties of suitable energy functions.