Exponentially decaying solutions for models with delayed and advanced arguments: Nonlinear effects in linear differential equations

Abstract

We consider a scalar linear mixed differential equation with several terms, both delayed and advanced arguments and a bounded right-hand side. Assuming that the deviations of the argument are bounded, we present sufficient conditions when there exists a unique bounded solution on the positive half-line. Explicit tests for a bounded solution of a homogeneous equation to decay exponentially are obtained. Existence of exponentially decaying solutions for this class of differential equations is studied for the first time, and we illustrate sharpness of the results with examples. We show that the standard approach when convergence of all solutions is stated does not work for mixed equations; in addition to an exponentially decaying, there may be a growing solution. All the coefficients and the mixed arguments are assumed to be Lebesgue measurable functions, not necessarily continuous. Though the equation is linear, some properties, as well as the methods applied, are more typical for nonlinear models, for example, fixed-point theorems are used in the proofs.