On a Method for Studying the Norm and the Stability of Solutions

We present a new method (the method of unitary transformations), which differs from the existing ones, for studying the stability and the norm of solutions of regular and singularly perturbed initial-value problems for nonautonomous linear and quasilinear systems of ODE with normal and “almost normal” matrices. Our results generalize similar theorems for the corresponding systems with constant matrices. This method allows one to avoid rather cumbersome traditional analysis, including the Lyapunov function method. For special classes of singularly perturbed problems, the method provides estimates for the norms of solutions in the presence of exponential or power boundary layers; these observations enrich the collection of known results in this field.