Periodic trajectories in planar discontinuous piecewise linear systems with only centers and with a nonregular switching line

Abstract

Abstract In this paper periodic trajectories of dynamical systems presenting discontinuities are studied. The considered model consists of two distinct linear differential systems, each one containing a single equilibrium point of centre type. Each system is defined on disjoint regions of the plane, the separation line is a union of two half-straight lines contained on the coordinate axes. The obtained differential system is non-smooth, so we apply Filippov’s theory to study the transitions from one dynamical system to another. The combination of the two linear plus the Filippov system acting on the separation line generates a nonlinear regime observed by the presence of limit cycles, sliding and tangential periodic trajectories as well as the coexistence of such objects. In theorem 1 we establish the location, stability and hyperbolicity of limit cycles for certain classes of the considered model. In theorem 2 we perform the global analysis of a representative model through bifurcation theory to analyse the birth of limit cycles, sliding periodic trajectories and tangential ones. We also provide some results addressing the coexistence of periodic trajectories and two potential physical interpretations of the model considered in the paper, one addressing nonlinear oscillations and the other considering slow-fast systems of neuron models. The main techniques employed to obtain the results are first integrals, Poincaré half return maps, and elements of bifurcation theory.