Formal paths, iterated integrals and the center problem for ordinary differential equations (Q950533)

Consider the ordinary differential equation \[ dv/dx = \sum_{j=1}^\infty a_j(x)v^{j+1} \quad\text{for }x \in [0,T],\tag \(*\) \] where the coefficients \(a_j\) are bounded measurable complex-valued functions. It is said to determine a center if every solution with a sufficiently small initial value satisfies \(v(0) = v(T)\). This article is a continuation of the author's study of this problem through an algebraic approach developed in earlier papers. He introduces a metrizable topological group \(G\) defined in terms of an equivalence relation among coefficient strings of \((*)\) that is expressed with regard to certain iterated integrals of the \(a_j\). In this paper centers of \((*)\) are examined from the point of view of studying various subgroups of the group \(G\).