Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2006 / ia / Paper 4 / 4C / Solution

Write $v=\dot{x}$. The simple pendulum becomes $\dot{x}=v$, $\dot{v}=-\sin x$. Its equilibria are $(k\pi ,0)$. The linearization is $\left(\begin{array}{cc}0& 1\\ -\cos (k\pi )& 0\end{array}\right)$. For even $k$ its eigenvalues are $\pm i$, and for odd $k$ they are $\pm 1$. The conserved energyhas a strict local minimum at each even multiple of $\pi$, proving nonlinear Lyapunov stability there. The odd multiples are saddles and are unstable. ThereforeThe stable centres are not asymptotically stable because energy is conserved.

The saddle energy is $H=2$, so the separatrix is determined byEnergy levels $0<H<2$ form closed libration curves around the centres; levels $H>2$ have velocity of constant sign and describe rotations. The separatrices join neighboring saddles in the unwrapped $(x,v)$ plane. On the angle cylinder, where $x$ is identified modulo $2\pi$, they are homoclinic to the single saddle.

At $x=0$ the positive separatrix has $\dot{x}=2$. Before reaching the neighboring saddle at $x=\pi$, the velocity is $2\cos (x/2)>0$, so the time to angle $a<\pi$ isAs $a\uparrow \pi$, $\cos (x/2)\sim (\pi -x)/2$. The integrand is therefore asymptotic to $1/(\pi -x)$, whose improper integral diverges logarithmically. Thus the pendulum separatrix approach takes infinite time:Starting with velocity $-2$ gives the reflected approach to $x=-\pi$ and the same infinite time. The velocity tends to zero but never reaches zero at a finite time.