Energy balance method

For a weak perturbation of a planar Hamiltonian system, integrate the first-order change of the unperturbed Hamiltonian around each unperturbed periodic orbit. Zeros of this averaged energy drift select candidate perturbed periodic orbits, and a change from positive to negative drift indicates stability.

Suppose $V$ is a first integral of an unperturbed planar system and $\dot{V}=\epsilon G+O({\epsilon }^2)$ after perturbation. A periodic orbit converging to an unperturbed orbit $\gamma$ can persist only ifIndeed, the net change of $V$ over every period is zero. A nonzero averaged drift therefore obstructs persistence.

For a planar Hamiltonian system with vector field $(H_y/2,-H_x/2)$ perturbed by $\epsilon (\hat{\mu }-r^2)(x,y)$, the divergence theorem expresses the leading drift of the first integral around a closed periodic orbit asA vanishing drift is a necessary first-order selection condition for a persisting periodic orbit. A simple zero with outward drift on its inner side and inward drift on its outer side yields an attracting limit cycle. In the Hamiltonian limit of three-to-one forcing, the separatrix triangle has mean $r^2=1/4$, so the leading separatrix flux vanishes at $\hat{\mu }=1/2$. A homoclinic or heteroclinic transition still requires the separatrix splitting and higher-order corrections to be controlled.

Forthe perturbation gives $\dot{H}=\epsilon (1-\alpha x^2)y^2$. Along an unperturbed orbit $H=H_0$ with turning points $x_1,x_2$,

On either unperturbed homoclinic loop, $H_0=0$ and the positive-side turning points are zero and $\sqrt{2}$. The first-order persistence condition iswhich gives $\alpha =5/4$.

For the periodic energy levels $-1/4<H_0<0$ enclosing one well, the energy-balance value of $\alpha$ ranges from one at the center to $5/4$ at the homoclinic loop. Thus for small positive $\epsilon$, one expects one symmetric pair of single-well periodic orbits when $1<\alpha <5/4$.