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Introduce $H=x^2-y^2+y^4/2$. Along a solution,At $\alpha =0$, $H$ is a first integral. The identity $H+1/2=x^2+(y^2-1{)}^2/2$ shows its level sets are bounded: neither $x$ nor $y$ can escape to infinity on a fixed level. Consequently trajectories remain bounded as $t\to \infty$, including those starting far from the origin. This bound also prevents finite-time escape; no explicit solution is needed.

The equilibrium points are $(0,0)$ and $(0,\pm 1)$. The Jacobian matrix at $(0,y_{\ast })$ isAt the origin its eigenvalues are $(\alpha \pm \sqrt{{\alpha }^2+4})/2$, with opposite signs, so the origin is a saddle point in all three cases. An eigenvector for $\lambda$ lies on $y=-x/\lambda$; the stable direction has positive slope and the unstable direction negative slope. At $(0,\pm 1)$ the eigenvalues are $(\alpha \pm \sqrt{{\alpha }^2-8})/2$.

When $\alpha =0$, these latter eigenvalues are $\pm i\sqrt{2}$. The nonlinear classification follows from the strict minima of $H$ at the two points: nearby level sets are closed curves without other equilibria, and the nonvanishing vector field makes them periodic orbits. Thus the two points are center equilibria. For $-1/2<H<0$, there are two separate closed ovals, one around each center equilibrium. The level $H=0$ consists of the saddle point and two homoclinic orbits forming a figure eight, explicitlyFor $H>0$, a single outer closed orbit encloses all three equilibrium points. Motion is clockwise, as the vector points downwards wherever $x>0$. The upper homoclinic orbit leaves the origin into $x<0,y>0$ and returns through $x>0,y>0$; the lower one has the reflected orientation.

When $\alpha =0.1$, the two nonzero equilibrium points have eigenvalues $0.05\pm i\sqrt{7.99}/2$ and are unstable foci. Nearby paths spiral outward clockwise. The first integral becomes a strictly increasing energy along every nonconstant trajectory: although $\dot{H}$ can momentarily vanish when $x=0$, it cannot vanish on an interval unless the solution is an equilibrium. Thus there are no periodic orbits or homoclinic orbits. The two stable separatrices of the saddle point, traced backwards, spiral towards the corresponding unstable foci. Its unstable separatrices move onto positive energy and escape outwards. All other nonequilibrium trajectories outside the stable manifold are unbounded forwards: a bounded forward limit set would have to lie in $x=0$, whose only invariant points are the three equilibria; the two unstable foci cannot attract a nonconstant trajectory, and convergence to the saddle occurs only on its stable manifold. Escape is not finite-time blow-up, since $\dot{H}\le 2\alpha (H+1/2)$ bounds the energy on every finite interval.

When $\alpha =-0.1$, the eigenvalues at the nonzero points are $-0.05\pm i\sqrt{7.99}/2$, so they are stable foci. The energy decreases, keeping all forward trajectories in compact sublevel sets. A bounded limit set must lie in the invariant part of $x=0$, so trajectories converge to equilibria: generically to one of the two stable foci, exceptionally to the saddle along its stable manifold. The saddle's unstable separatrices spiral into the two stable foci; its stable manifold separates their attraction basins. Again, energy monotonicity excludes periodic orbits and homoclinic orbits. These three cases give the quartic double-well phase portrait with linear damping below.