A universal constant for semistable limit cycles

We consider one-parameter families of 2-dimensional vector fields Xµ having in a convenient region R a semistable limit cycle of multiplicity 2m when µ = 0, no limit cycles if µ 0. We show, analytically for some particular families and numerically for others, that associated to the semistable limit cycle and for positive integers n sufficiently large there is a power law in the parameter µ of the form µn ≈ Cnα< 0 with C, α ∈ R, such that the orbit of Xµn through a point of p ∈ R reaches the position of the semistable limit cycle of X0 after given n turns. The exponent α of this power law depends only on the multiplicity of the semistable limit cycle, and is independent of the initial point p ∈ R and of the family Xµ. In fact α = -2m/(2m - 1). Moreover the constant C is independent of the initial point p ∈ R, but it depends on the family Xµ and on the multiplicity 2m of the limit cycle Γ.