Melnikov functions and limit cycles in piecewise smooth perturbations of a linear center using regularization method

In this article we study limit cycles in piecewise smooth perturbations of a linear center. In this setting it is common to adapt classical results for smooth systems, like Melnikov functions, to non-smooth ones. However, there is little justification for this procedure in the literature. By using the regularization method we give a theoretical proof that supports the use of Melnikov functions directly from the original non-smooth problem.