Isonormal potentials in one degree of freedom

Abstract

We consider the Hamiltonian system with one degree of freedom $$\dot x = y, \quad \dot y = -\partial V(x) / \partial x, \qquad x,y\in{\mathbb R}$$ with the smooth potential $V:{\mathbb R}\to{\mathbb R}$. We assume that the origin is an elliptic singular point: $V'(0)=0$ and $V''(0)>0$. Two potentials $V_0$ and $V_1$ are referred to be isonormal if in a neighborhood of the origin there exists a canonical change of coordinates which transforms the Hamiltonian function $y^2/2 + V_0$ to $y^2/2 + V_1$. In particular, any potential isonormal to $x^2/2$ is isochronous. We obtain a criterium of isonormality for analytic potentials.