Bifurcation and total stability (Q801195)

The problem of bifurcation of invariant sets from an invariant set with respect to a one-parameter family of flows in \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\) is considered. Precisely it is supposed, for sake of simplicity, that the origin is invariant for any value \(\mu\) of the parameter and it is shown that a bifurcation phenomenon takes place when the origin is totally stable for \(\mu =0\) and completely unstable for \(\mu >0\), small. This result generalizes a previous one by \textit{F. Marchetti, P. Negrini, L. Salvadori, M. Scalla} [Ann. Mat. Pura Appl. IV Ser. 108, 211-226 (1976; Zbl 0332.34047)] where the origin was supposed to be asymptotically stable for \(\mu =0\). As is well known the asymptotic stability of a compact invariant set implies its total stability, but some interesting examples show that the converse is not true. In the last section of the paper Hopf bifurcation in \({\mathbb{R}}^ 2\) is revisited. It is proved in particular that if the origin of \({\mathbb{R}}^ 2\) is for \(\mu =0\) stable, but not asymptotically stable, then the bifurcating orbits cannot be all attracting.