 Poincaré–Bendixson theorem

The Poincaré-Bendixson theorem strongly restricts long-term motion in a smooth autonomous planar flow. In a standard form, a nonempty compact omega-limit set containing no equilibrium point is a periodic orbit. The flow is generated by a continuously differentiable vector field on an open planar domain, and the limit set must lie within that domain.^[ref]

This gives a practical existence argument: find a compact forward-trapping region that contains no equilibria, and analyze a trajectory that remains in it. The theorem can establish periodic long-term behavior without solving the orbit explicitly. It does not by itself prove that a cycle is unique or attracting from both sides. If the limit set includes equilibria, connecting trajectories can enter the classification, while higher-dimensional flows such as the Lorenz system are outside the planar conclusion.

The Poincaré–Bendixson theorem is a fundamental result in the field of dynamical systems, particularly concerning the behavior of continuous dynamical systems in two dimensions. It addresses the long-term behavior of trajectories in a planar (2-dimensional) system described by a set of ordinary differential equations.