Singular semi-linear equations inL 1(R)

Letg be a positive continuous function onR which tends to zero at −∞ and which is not integrable overR. The boundary-value problem −u″+g(u)=f, u′(±∞)=0, is considered forf∈L ¹(R). We show that this problem can have a solution if and only ifg is integrable at −∞ and if this is so then the problem is solvable precisely when ∫ _−∞ ^∞ . Some extensions of this result are also given. Sponsored by the United States Army under Contract No. DAAG29-75-C-0024 and by the National Science Foundation, Grant MPS 75-05501.