A new uniqueness criterion for the number of periodic orbits of Abel equations (Q870100)

Consider the scalar periodic boundary value problem \[ {dx\over dt}= A(t) x^3+ B(t) x^2,\quad 0< t< 1,\quad x(0)= x(1).\tag{\(*\)} \] The authors prove that if there exist two real numbers \(a\) and \(b\) such that the function \(aA(b)+ bB(t)\) is not identically zero and does not change sign for \(0\leq t\leq 1\), then \((*)\) has at most one nontrivial solution. Furthermore, they show that a nontrivial solution of \((*)\) is hyperbolic. The key ingredients of the proof of this result are some generalized Dulac function and the comparison principle. This result is applied to the special cases when \(A\) and \(B\) are either 1-periodic trigonometrical polynomials of degree one or polynomials of the type \(a+ bt^j+ ct^k\) with \(0< j< k\).