Perturbation from an elliptic Hamiltonian of degree four—III global centre

Abstract

The paper deals with Liénard equations of the form x ̇ =y , y ̇ =P(x)+yQ(x) with P and Q polynomials of degree, respectively, 3 and 2. Attention goes to perturbations of the Hamiltonian vector fields with an elliptic Hamiltonian of degree four, exhibiting a global centre. It is proven that the least upper bound of the number of zeros of the related elliptic integral is four, and this is a sharp one. This result permits to prove the existence of Liénard equations of type (3,2) with a quadruple limit cycle, with both a triple and a simple limit cycle, with two semistable limit cycles, with one semistable and two simple limit cycles or with four simple limit cycles.