Computing centre conditions for certain cubic systems

Abstract We present necessary and sufficient conditions for a critical point of certain two-dimensional cubic differential systems to be a centre. Extensive use of the computer algebra system REDUCE is involved. The search for necessary and sufficient conditions for a centre has long been of considerable interest in the theory of nonlinear differential equations. It has proved to be a difficult problem, and full conditions are known for very few classes of systems. Such conditions are also required in the investigation of Hilbert's sixteenth problem concerning the number of limit cycles of polynomial systems.