Floquet multiplier Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-14
A Floquet multiplier is an eigenvalue of a one-period linear evolution map. For a homogeneous linear differential equation with continuous coefficients of period , this map is the monodromy matrix of a periodic linear system . If for a nonzero eigenvector , the associated solution of a differential equation with satisfies . Its exponential rate is , the corresponding Floquet growth rate. A Floquet multiplier equal to one gives a -periodic solution in that eigenvector direction; a nontrivial Jordan block at a unit-modulus Floquet multiplier can still produce polynomial growth.
For a nonlinear periodic orbit, the Floquet multipliers are eigenvalues of the one-period map of its variational equation. A nonconstant periodic orbit of a smooth autonomous differential equation has a Floquet multiplier equal to one in its tangent direction: differentiating the solution of a differential equation with respect to its starting phase gives a periodic solution of the variational equation. The derivative of a transverse Poincaré map removes this phase direction and retains the transverse Floquet multipliers. Transverse Floquet multipliers strictly inside the unit circle give local attraction, while one outside gives instability; a transverse Floquet multiplier on the unit circle requires further analysis. For a planar periodic orbit, the transverse Floquet multiplier is given by the divergence test for a planar periodic orbit.
Linearizing about the orbit gives , where . The fundamental matrix therefore satisfies
The Floquet multipliers are the eigenvalues of the monodromy matrix . Differentiating the orbit equation shows that its tangent solves the variational equation. Since , one multiplier is one.
For an invertible fundamental matrix, differentiating the determinant gives . Integration from the identity yields . The determinant is the product of the two multipliers, so the other is
Let be the position at time of the characteristic curve satisfying and . Smooth uniqueness implies . Differentiating in the initial point gives the variational equation
The Liouville formula for a fundamental matrix, or the derivative formula for a determinant, therefore gives
Because , the mixed second derivatives cancel and . The initial Jacobian determinant is one, so
Thus this Hamiltonian flow preserves planar Lebesgue measure. This calculation assumes smoothness as in the part; a rough-flow conclusion later must be justified by approximation rather than by differentiating a merely continuous velocity.