Dihedral steady-state normal form ($\dot{z}=\mu z+az|z{|}^2+b{\bar{z}}^{n-1}+\cdots$)

For the natural plane action of the dihedral group, rotations constrain monomial weights and reflection makes coefficients real. The reflection axes support the bifurcating equilibria. For $n=3$, the quadratic anisotropic term gives three transcritical-like branches that are saddles in the full plane. For $n=4$, cubic isotropic and anisotropic terms determine two reflection-isotropy classes. For $n=5$, the cubic isotropic term sets the leading radial amplitude while quartic anisotropy separates stable and saddle angular classes.

// Target: dynamical-systems.bigb

Independent sign changes and interchange of two coordinates in the natural dihedral group action force the displayed cubic normal form. Apart from the origin, its nondegenerate small equilibria lie on coordinate axes or on the diagonals. An axial branch has squared amplitude $\mu /a$ and eigenvalues $-2\mu ,\mu (1-b/a)$. A diagonal branch has component squared amplitude $\mu /(a+b)$ and eigenvalues $-2\mu ,2\mu (b-a)/(a+b)$. Subtracting the two nonzero equilibrium equations gives $(a-b)(A^2-B^2)=0$, excluding other cubic branches when $a\ne b$.

For the four wavevectors $(2,1),(2,-1),(1,2),(1,-2)$ and their negatives, use invariant phases ${\chi }_1=2{\theta }_1-2{\theta }_2-{\theta }_3+{\theta }_4$, ${\chi }_2={\theta }_1+{\theta }_2-2{\theta }_3-2{\theta }_4$. Add to the cubic normal form of a dynamical system the two quintic terms $e{\overline{A}}_2{A}_3^2{A}_4^2$ and $f{\overline{A}}_1{A}_2^2{A}_3{\overline{A}}_4$ in the first equation, together with their square-symmetry partners; $e,f$ are real. For equal positive magnitudes, steadiness forces $\sin {\chi }_1=\sin {\chi }_2=0$ unless $e=f=0$. Equality of radial equations further gives $(e-f)(\cos {\chi }_1-\cos {\chi }_2)=0$. Consequently the generic phase types are $(0,0)$ and $(\pi ,\pi )$. When $e=f\ne 0$, the mixed type $(0,\pi )$, equivalent by square symmetry to $(\pi ,0)$, also exists. When both quintic coefficients vanish, every phase pair is allowed. Amplitude existence must still be checked from the remaining scalar equation.

A scalar mode that changes sign under a quarter-turn and is fixed by diagonal reflections couples quadratically through $AC,BC,A^2-B^2$. In the saturated three-mode equivariant dynamical system, a diagonal state $A=B=s$, $C=0$ has $s^2={\mu }_1/(1+\lambda )$ and $p=2(\lambda -1)s^2$. The symmetric perturbation decays at rate $2{\mu }_1$; the remaining stability matrix is the displayed block. With $K=2{\alpha }_1{\gamma }_1/(\lambda -1)>0$, its linear stability interval is $-K<{\mu }_2<-p$, provided $p<K$. The endpoints are a symmetry-breaking pitchfork bifurcation and a Hopf bifurcation, respectively, away from degeneracies.