Transversal conics and the existence of limit cycles

This paper deals with the problem of location and existence of limit cycles for real planar polynomial differential systems. We provide a method to construct Poincar\'e--Bendixson regions by using transversal conics. We present several examples of known systems in the literature showing different features about limit cycles: hyperbolicity, Hopf bifurcation, sky-blue bifurcation, rotated vector fields, \ldots for which the obtained Poincar\'e--Bendixson region allows to locate the limit cycles. Our method gives bounds for the bifurcation values of parametrical families of planar vector fields and intervals of existence of limit cycles.Comment: 28 pages; 20 figure

Zeros of the Partition Function and Pseudospinodals in Long-Range Ising Models

The relation between the zeros of the partition function and spinodal critical points in Ising models with long-range interactions is investigated. We find the spinodal is associated with the zeros of the partition function in four-dimensional complex temperature/magnetic field space. The zeros approach the real temperature/magnetic field plane as the range of interaction increases.Comment: 20 pages, 9 figures, accepted to PR