On the number of limit cycles in quadratic perturbations of quadratic codimension four centers

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the bifurcation of limit cycles in general quadratic perturbations of quadratic codimension-four centers $Q_4$. Gavrilov and Iliev set an upper bound of {\it eight} for the number of limit cycles produced from the period annulus around the center. Based on Gavrilov-Iliev's proof, we prove in this paper that the perturbed system has at most five limit cycles which emerge from the period annulus around the center. We also show that there exists a perturbed system with three limit cycles produced by the period annulus of $Q_4$.