In this work some existence and stability results of periodic orbits of van der Pol-Mathieu Equation are studied. By using the Averaging Theorem we are able to prove, under mild conditions, the existence of two asymptotically stable periodic orbits of this equation. Moreover, the existence of invariant quadrics can be settled in plane phase of this equation. / Neste trabalho alguns resultados sobre existência e estabilidade de soluções periódicas da equação de van der Pol-Mathieu são estudados. Por meio do Teorema da Média é provado, sob condições adequadas, que esta equação possui duas órbitas periódicas assintóticamente estáveis. Além disso é obtida a existência de cônicas invariantes no plano de fase desta equação. / Mestre em Matemática

A flapping-wing micro-air-vehicle (FWMAV) represents a complex multi-disciplinary system whose analysis invokes the frontiers of the aerospace engineering disciplines. From the aerodynamic point of view, a nonlinear, unsteady flow is created by the flapping motion. In addition, non-conventional contributors, such as the leading edge vortex, to the aerodynamic loads become dominant in flight. On the other hand, the flight dynamics of a FWMAV constitutes a nonlinear, non-autonomous dynamical system. Furthermore, the stringent weight and size constraints that are always imposed on FWMAVs invoke design with minimal actuation. In addition to the numerous motivating applications, all these features of FWMAVs make it an interesting research point for engineers. In this Dissertation, some challenging points related to FWMAVs are considered. First, an analytical unsteady aerodynamic model that accounts for the leading edge vortex contribution by a feasible computational burden is developed to enable sensitivity and optimization analyses, flight dynamics analysis, and control synthesis. Second, wing kinematics optimization is considered for both aerodynamic performance and maneuverability. For each case, an infinite-dimensional optimization problem is formulated using the calculus of variations to relax any unnecessary constraints induced by approximating the problem as a finite-dimensional one. As such, theoretical upper bounds for the aerodynamic performance and maneuverability are obtained. Third, a design methodology for the actuation mechanism is developed. The proposed actuation mechanism is able to provide the required kinematics for both of hovering and forward flight using only one actuator. This is achieved by exploiting the nonlinearities of the wing dynamics to induce the saturation phenomenon to transfer energy from one mode to another. Fourth, the nonlinear, time-periodic flight dynamics of FWMAVs is analyzed using direct and higher-order averaging. The region of applicability of direct averaging is determined and the effects of the aerodynamic-induced parametric excitation are assessed. Finally, tools combining geometric control theory and averaging are used to derive analytic expressions for the textit{Symmetric Products}, which are vector fields that directly affect the acceleration of the averaged dynamics. A design optimization problem is then formulated to bring the maneuverability index/criterion early in the design process to maximize the FWMAV maneuverability near hover. / Ph. D.

This work is devoted to investigating the algebraic and analytic integrability of first order polynomial partial differential equations via an understanding of the well-developed area of local and global integrability of polynomial vector fields. In the view of characteristics method, the search of first integrals of the first order partial differential equations P(x,y,z)∂z(x,y) ∂x +Q(x,y,z)∂z(x,y) ∂y = R(x,y,z), (1) is equivalent to the search of first integrals of the system of the ordinary differential equations dx/dt= P(x,y,z), dy/dt= Q(x,y,z), dz/dt= R(x,y,z). (2) The trajectories of (2) will be found by representing these trajectories as the intersection of level surfaces of first integrals of (1). We would like to investigate the integrability of the partial differential equation (1) around a singularity. This is a case where understanding of ordinary differential equations will help understanding of partial differential equations. Clearly, first integrals of the partial differential equation (1), are first integrals of the ordinary differential equations (2). So, if (2) has two first integrals φ1(x,y,z) =C1and φ2(x,y,z) =C2, where C1and C2 are constants, then the general solution of (1) is F(φ1,φ2) = 0, where F is an arbitrary function of φ1and φ2. We choose for our investigation a system with quadratic nonlinearities and such that the axes planes are invariant for the characteristics: this gives three dimensional Lotka– Volterra systems x' =dx/dt= P = x(λ +ax+by+cz), y' =dy/dt= Q = y(µ +dx+ey+ fz), z' =dz/dt= R = z(ν +gx+hy+kz), where λ,µ,ν 6= 0. v Several problems have been investigated in this work such as the study of local integrability and linearizability of three dimensional Lotka–Volterra equations with (λ:µ:ν)–resonance. More precisely, we give a complete set of necessary and sufficient conditions for both integrability and linearizability for three dimensional Lotka-Volterra systems for (1:−1:1), (2:−1:1) and (1:−2:1)–resonance. To prove their sufficiency, we mainly use the method of Darboux with the existence of inverse Jacobi multipliers, and the linearizability of a node in two variables with power-series arguments in the third variable. Also, more general three dimensional system have been investigated and necessary and sufficient conditions are obtained. In another approach, we also consider the applicability of an entirely different method which based on the monodromy method to prove the sufficiency of integrability of these systems. These investigations, in fact, mean that we generalized the classical centre-focus problem in two dimensional vector fields to three dimensional vector fields. In three dimensions, the possible mechanisms underling integrability are more difficult and computationally much harder. We also give a generalization of Singer’s theorem about the existence of Liouvillian first integrals in codimension 1 foliations in Cnas well as to three dimensional vector fields. Finally, we characterize the centres of the quasi-homogeneous planar polynomial differential systems of degree three. We show that at most one limit cycle can bifurcate from the periodic orbits of a centre of a cubic homogeneous polynomial system using the averaging theory of first order.