Write . When the system gives and . Choosing
makes positive definite and radially unbounded, while its orbital derivative is
The set is . A trajectory remaining there must also have , so its largest invariant subset is the origin. The LaSalle invariance principle therefore proves that the origin is globally asymptotically stable. In the phase plane, on and on ; every nonstationary trajectory crosses the nested level curves of inward and tends to the origin.
At an equilibrium point, and
Hence the origin always exists, while exist for . At the Jacobian matrix is
A stationary bifurcation occurs when a real eigenvalue passes through zero, hence on
A Hopf bifurcation requires zero trace and positive determinant. At the origin this gives
and on either nonzero branch it gives
Thus the Hopf locus consists of the negative -axis and the ray in the first quadrant; the stationary locus is the -axis.
Now set , write , and append . At the extended centre manifold for a parameter is tangent to the -plane, so put . Its centre-manifold invariance equation is
Under the ordering , solving through cubic order gives
This is the pitchfork bifurcation normal form: is stable for and unstable for , while the two stable branches emerge for . The bifurcation is therefore a supercritical pitchfork bifurcation.