Periodic solutions of second-order wave equations. IV (Q910583)

[For part III see ibid. 39, No.3, 270-275 (1987); translation from Ukr. Mat. Zh. 39, No.3, 347-353 (1987; Zbl 0654.35065).] In part III periodic solutions in general were discussed of second order hyperbolic differential and wave equations. The study under review carries this work further where the space of functions discussed satisfies the following conditions: \[ \int^{2\pi}_{0}\{u(x+\theta - \tau,\tau)+u(x-\theta +\tau,\tau)\}d\theta =0\quad and\quad \Phi_ u(x,t+2\pi,\tau)=\Phi_ u(x,t,\tau +2\pi)=\Phi_ u(x,t,\tau), \] where \(\Phi_ u(x,t,\tau)=\int^{t}_{\tau}\{u(x+\theta -\tau,\tau)+u(x- \theta +\tau,\tau)\}d\theta.\) On the assumption that the periodic functions in question are capable of expansion as Fourier series, the nature of certain periodic solutions of the general boundary-value problem \[ u_{tt}-u_{xx}=\epsilon f(x,t,u,u_ t,u_ x),\quad u(0,t)=u(\pi,t)=0,\quad u(x,t+2\pi)=u(x,t) \] is investigated in detail. The general results are then applied to a generalisation of the van der Pol equation as an example.