Locating omega-limit sets using height functions (Q964989)

This paper describes a tool to locate the \(\omega\)-limit set \(\Omega\) of a bounded solution to a given ordinary differential equation \[ \dot x=f(x) \] on a Riemannian manifold. A crucial tool is the so-called height function \(W\) for the vector field \(f\): Provided \(\Omega\) is contained in an embedded submanifold \(S\) and \(O\) is an open tubular neighborhood of \(S\), such a height function \(W:O\to{\mathbb R}\) satisfies \(\dot W(x)\geq 0\) on \(S\), where \(\dot W\) is the derivative of \(W\) along the flow. Under mild assumptions, an estimate for the location of \(\Omega\) is given, as well as several consequences and an application to polynomial vector fields.