On Muldowney's criteria for polynomial vector fields with constraints

Abstract

We study Muldowney's extension of the classical Bendixson-Dulac criterion for excluding periodic orbits to higher dimensions for polynomial vector fields. Using the formulation of Muldowney's sufficient criteria for excluding periodic orbits of the parameterized vector field on a convex set as a quantifier elimination problem over the ordered field of the reals we provide case studies of some systems arising in the life sciences. We discuss the use of simple conservation constraints and the use of parametric constraints for describing simple convex polytopes on which periodic orbits can be excluded by Muldowney's criteria. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.