On the Fredholm Alternative for the p-Laplacian in One Dimension

We investigate the existence of a weak solution u to the quasilineartwo-point boundary value problem We assume that 1 < p < p ¬ = 2, 0 < a < , andthat f L¹(0,a) is a given function. The number _k stands forthe k-th eigenvalue of the one-dimensional p-Laplacian. Let_{p p} x/a) denote the eigenfunction associated with ₁; then _p(k_p x/a) is the eigenfunction associated with _k. We show the existenceof solutions to (P) in the following cases. (i) When k=1 and f satisfies the orthogonality condition the set of solutions is bounded. (ii) If k=1 and f_t L¹(0,a) is a continuous family parametrizedby t 0,1], with then there exists some t^* 0,1] such that (P) has a solutionfor f = f_t^*. Moreover, an appropriate choice of t_* yields asolution u with an arbitrarily large L¹(0,a)-norm which meansthat such f cannot be orthogonal to _pp x/a. (iii) When k 2 and f satisfies a set of orthogonality conditionsto _p(k p x/a) on the subintervals , again, the set of solutions is bounded. is a continuous family satisfying either or another related condition, then there exists some t^* 0,1]such that (P) has a solution for f = f_t*. Prüfer's transformation plays the key role in our proofs.2000 Mathematical Subject Classification: primary 34B16, 47J10;secondary 34L40, 47H30.