HOPF BIFURCATION — NORMAL FORM

PARAMETERS

REGIME
CRITICAL (μ=0)
LIMIT CYCLE RADIUS
EIGENVALUES λ₁,₂
μ ± i
Normal Form:
ẋ = μx − y − x(x²+y²)
ẏ = x + μy − y(x²+y²)

In polar: ṙ = r(μ − r²), θ̇ = 1

• μ < 0: stable fixed point, trajectories spiral in
• μ = 0: weakly stable (nonlinear), Hopf point
• μ > 0: unstable fixed point + stable limit cycle of radius √μ

This is the supercritical Hopf bifurcation — the prototypical birth of oscillation.