Eigenvalue problems for second-order nonlinear dynamic equations on time scales

This paper is concerned with the existence and nonexistence of positive solutions of the second-order nonlinear dynamic equation uΔΔ(t)+λa(t)f(u(σ(t)))=0, t∈[0,1], satisfying either the conjugate boundary conditions u(0)=u(σ(1))=0 or the right focal boundary conditions u(0)=uΔ(σ(1))=0, where a and f are positive. We show that there exists a λ^∗>0 such that the above boundary value problem has at least two, one and no positive solutions for 0<λ<λ^∗, λ=λ^∗ and λ>λ^∗, respectively. Furthermore, by using the semiorder method on cones of the Banach space, we establish an existence and uniqueness criterion for positive solution of the problem. In particular, such a positive solution uλ(t) of the problem depends continuously on the parameter λ, i.e., uλ(t) is nondecreasing in λ, limλ→⁰⁺‖uλ‖=0 and limλ→+∞‖uλ‖=+∞.     

On p-quasi-hyponormal operators

A Hilbert space operator A ∈ B(H) is said to be p-quasi-hyponormal for some 0 < p ? 1, A ∈ p − QH, if A^∗(∣A∣^2p − ∣A^∗∣^2p)A ? 0. If H is infinite dimensional, then operators A ∈ p − QH are not supercyclic. Restricting ourselves to those A ∈ p − QH for which A⁻¹(0) ⊆ A^∗-1(0), A ∈ p_∗ − QH, a necessary and sufficient condition for the adjoint of a pure p_∗ − QH operator to be supercyclic is proved. Operators in p_∗ − QH satisfy Bishop’s property (β). Each A ∈ p_∗ − QH has the finite ascent property and the quasi-nilpotent part H₀(A − λI) of A equals (A − λI)^-1(0) for all complex numbers λ; hence f(A) satisfies Weyl’s theorem, and f(A^∗) satisfies a-Weyl’s theorem, for all non-constant functions f which are analytic on a neighborhood of σ(A). It is proved that a Putnam-Fuglede type commutativity theorem holds for operators in p_∗ − QH.     

Linking solutions for p-Laplace equations with nonlinearity at critical growth

Under a suitable condition on n and p, the quasilinear equation at critical growth −Δpu=λ|u|^p−2u+|u|^p∗−2u is shown to admit a nontrivial weak solution for any λ?λ₁. Nonstandard linking structures, for the associated functional, are recognized.     

Multiple positive solutions of nonhomogeneous elliptic systems with strongly indefinite structure and critical Sobolev exponents

In this paper, we study the existence of multiple positive solutions to some Hamiltonian elliptic systems −Δv=λu+u^p+εf(x), −Δu=μv+v^q+δg(x) in Ω;u,v>0 in Ω; u=v=0 on ∂Ω, where Ω is a bounded domain in R^N (N?3); 0?f, g∈L∞(Ω); 1/(p+1)+1/(q+1)=(N−2)/N, p,q>1; λ,μ>0. Using sub- and supersolution method and based on an adaptation of the dual variational approach, we prove the existence of at least two nontrivial positive solutions for all λ,μ∈(0,λ₁) and ε,δ∈(0,δ₀), where λ₁ is the first eigenvalue of the Laplace operator −Δ with zero Dirichlet boundary conditions and δ₀ is a positive number.     

Nonlinear dissipative wave equations with space-time dependent potential

We study the long time behavior of solutions for damped wave equations with absorption. These equations are generally accepted as models of wave propagation in heterogeneous media with space-time dependent friction a(t,x)u_t and nonlinear absorption |u|^p−1u (Ikawa (2000) [17]). We consider 1<p<(n+2)/(n−2) and separable a(t,x)=λ(x)η(t) with λ(x)∼(1+|x|)^−α and η(t)∼(1+t)^−β satisfying conditions (A1) or (A2) which are given. The main results are precise decay estimates for the energy, L² and L^p+1 norms of solutions. We also observe the following behavior: if α∈[0,1), β∈(−1,1) and 0<α+β<1, there are three different regions for the decay of solutions depending on p; if α∈(−∞,0) and β∈(−1,1), there are only two different regions for the decay of the solutions depending on p.     

A uniqueness result for a semilinear elliptic problem: A computer-assisted proof

Starting with the famous article [A. Gidas, W.M. Ni, L. Nirenberg, Symmetry and related properties via the maximum principle, Comm. Math. Phys. 68 (1979) 209-243], many papers have been devoted to the uniqueness question for positive solutions of −Δu=λu+up in Ω, u=0 on ∂Ω, where p>1 and λ ranges between 0 and the first Dirichlet eigenvalue λ₁(Ω) of −Δ. For the case when Ω is a ball, uniqueness could be proved, mainly by ODE techniques. But very little is known when Ω is not a ball, and then only for λ=0. In this article, we prove uniqueness, for all λ∈[0,λ₁(Ω)), in the case Ω=²(0,1) and p=2. This constitutes the first positive answer to the uniqueness question in a domain different from a ball. Our proof makes heavy use of computer assistance: we compute a branch of approximate solutions and prove existence of a true solution branch close to it, using fixed point techniques. By eigenvalue enclosure methods, and an additional analytical argument for λ close to λ₁(Ω), we deduce the non-degeneracy of all solutions along this branch, whence uniqueness follows from the known bifurcation structure of the problem.     

On the critical dimension of a fourth order elliptic problem with negative exponent

We study the regularity of the extremal solution of the semilinear biharmonic equation on a ball B⊂RN, under Navier boundary conditions u=Δu=0 on ∂B, where λ>0 is a parameter, while τ>0, β>0 are fixed constants. It is known that there exists λ^∗ such that for λ>λ^∗ there is no solution while for λ<λ^∗ there is a branch of minimal solutions. Our main result asserts that the extremal solution u^∗ is regular (supBu^∗<1) for N?8 and β,τ>0 and it is singular (supBu^∗=1) for N?9, β>0, and τ>0 with small. Our proof for the singularity of extremal solutions in dimensions N?9 is based on certain improved Hardy-Rellich inequalities.     

Blow-up rates of radially symmetric large solutions

This paper adapts a technical device going back to [J. López-Gómez, Optimal uniqueness theorems and exact blow-up rates of large solutions, J. Differential Equations 224 (2006) 385-439] to ascertain the blow-up rate of the (unique) radially symmetric large solution given through the main theorem of [J. López-Gómez, Uniqueness of radially symmetric large solutions, Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst., Supplement dedicated to the 6th AIMS Conference, Poitiers, France, 2007, pp. 677-686]. The requested underlying estimates are based upon the main theorem of [S. Cano-Casanova, J. López-Gómez, Existence, uniqueness and blow-up rate of large solutions for a canonical class of one-dimensional problems on the half-line, J. Differential Equations 244 (2008) 3180-3203]. Precisely, we show that if Ω is a ball, or an annulus, f∈C[0,∞) is positive and non-decreasing, V∈C[0,∞)∩C²(0,∞) satisfies V(0)=0, V^′(u)>0, V^″(u)?0, for every u>0, and V(u)∼Hup−1 as u↑∞, for some H>0 and p>1, then, for each λ?0,

−Δu=λu−f(dist(x,∂Ω))V(u)u     

Which generalized Randi? indices are suitable measures of molecular branching?

Molecular branching is a very important notion, because it influences many physicochemical properties of chemical compounds. However, there is no consensus on how to measure branching. Nevertheless two requirements seem to be obvious: star is the most branched graph and path is the least branched graph. Every measure of branching should have these two graphs as extremal graphs. In this paper we restrict our attention to chemical trees (i.e. simple connected graphs with maximal degree at most 4), hence we have only one requirement that the path be an extremal graph. Here, we show that the generalized Randi? index R_p(G)=∑_uv∈E(G)(d_ud_v)^p is a suitable measure for branching if and only if p∈[λ,0)∪(0,λ^′) where λ is the solution of the equation in the interval (−0.793,−0.792) and λ^′ is the positive solution of the equation 3⋅3^x−2⋅2^x−4^x=0. These results include the solution of the problem proposed by Clark and Gutman.     

On ground state solutions for singular and semi-linear problems including super-linear terms at infinity

We establish a result concerning the existence of entire, positive, classical and bounded solutions which converge to zero at infinity for the semi-linear equation −Δu=λf(x,u),x∈R^N, where f:R^N×(0,∞)→[0,∞) is a suitable function and λ>0 is a real parameter. This result completes the principal theorem of A. Mohammed [A. Mohammed, Ground state solutions for singular semi-linear elliptic equations, Nonlinear Analysis (2008) doi:10.1016/j.na.2008.11.080] mainly because his result does not address the super-linear terms at infinity. Penalty arguments, lower-upper solutions and an approximation procedure will be used.     

Existence and multiplicity of solutions for quasilinear nonhomogeneous problems: An Orlicz-Sobolev space setting

We study the boundary value problem −div(log(1+q|∇u|)|∇u|^p−2∇u)=f(u) in Ω, u=0 on ∂Ω, where Ω is a bounded domain in RN with smooth boundary. We distinguish the cases where either f(u)=−λ|u|^p−2u+|u|^r−2u or f(u)=λ|u|^p−2u−|u|^r−2u, with p, q>1, p+q<min{N,r}, and r<(Np−N+p)/(N−p). In the first case we show the existence of infinitely many weak solutions for any λ>0. In the second case we prove the existence of a nontrivial weak solution if λ is sufficiently large. Our approach relies on adequate variational methods in Orlicz-Sobolev spaces.     

Structure of boundary blow-up solutions for quasi-linear elliptic problems II: small and intermediate solutions

The structure of positive boundary blow-up solutions to quasi-linear elliptic problems of the form −Δ_pu=λf(u), u=∞ on ∂Ω, 1<p<∞, is studied in a bounded smooth domain , for a class of nonlinearities f∈C¹((0,∞)?{z₂})∩C⁰[0,∞) satisfying f(0)=f(z₁)=f(z₂)=0 with 0<z₁<z₂, f<0 in (0,z₁)∪(z₂,∞), f>0 in (z₁,z₂). Large, small and intermediate solutions are obtained for λ sufficiently large. It is known from Part I (see Structure of boundary blow-up solutions for quasilinear elliptic problems, part (I): large and small solutions, preprint), that the large solution is the unique large solution to the problem. We will see that the small solution is also the unique small solution to the problem while there are infinitely many intermediate solutions. Our results are new even for the case p=2.     

Blowup stability of solutions of the nonlinear heat equation with a large life span

We study the Cauchy problem for the nonlinear heat equation u_t-?u=|u|^p-1u in R^N. The initial data is of the form u₀=λ?, where ?∈C₀(R^N) is fixed and λ>0. We first take 1<p<p_f, where p_f is the Fujita critical exponent, and ?∈C₀(R^N)∩L¹(R^N) with nonzero mean. We show that u(t) blows up for λ small, extending the H. Fujita blowup result for sign-changing solutions. Next, we consider 1<p<p_s, where p_s is the Sobolev critical exponent, and ?(x) decaying as |x|^-σ at infinity, where p<1+2/σ. We also prove that u(t) blows up when λ is small, extending a result of T. Lee and W. Ni. For both cases, the solution enjoys some stable blowup properties. For example, there is single point blowup even if ? is not radial.     

Global solutions of the fast diffusion equation with gradient absorption terms

We investigate the existence of nonnegative weak solutions to the problem ut=Δ(um)−p|∇u| in Rn×(0,∞) with ⁺(1−2/n)<m<1. It will be proved that: (i) When 1<p<2, if the initial datum u₀∈D(Rn) then there exists a solution; (ii) When 1<p<(2+mn)/(n+1), if the initial datum u₀(x) is a bounded and nonnegative measure then the solution exists; (iii) When (2+mn)/(n+1)?p<2, if the initial datum is a Dirac mass then the solution does not exist. We also study the large time behavior of the L¹-norm of solutions for 1<p?(2+mn)/(n+1), and the large time behavior of t1/β‖u(⋅,t)−Ec(⋅,t)L^∞_‖ for (2+mn)/(n+1)<p<2.     

A bifurcation theorem for the p-logistic equation

We consider a p-logistic equation with an equidiffusive reaction. Using variational methods and truncation techniques, we show that there is a critical parameter value λ^∗ > 0 such that for λ > λ^∗ the problem has a unique positive smooth solution, and for λ ∈ (0, λ^∗] the problem has no positive solution.     

Strong convergence theorems for maximal monotone mappings in Banach spaces

Let E be a uniformly convex and 2-uniformly smooth real Banach space with dual E^∗. Let be a Lipschitz continuous monotone mapping with A⁻¹(0)≠∅. For given u,x₁∈E, let {xn} be generated by the algorithm xn+1:=βnu+(1−βn)(xn−αnAJxn), n?1, where J is the normalized duality mapping from E into E^∗ and {λn} and {θn} are real sequences in (0,1) satisfying certain conditions. Then it is proved that, under some mild conditions, {xn} converges strongly to x^∗∈E where Jx^∗∈A⁻¹(0). Finally, we apply our convergence theorems to the convex minimization problems.     

A finite difference solution to a two-dimensional parabolic inverse problem

In this paper, we consider the problem of finding u = u(x, y, t) and p = p(t) which satisfy u_t = u_xx + u_yy + p(t)u + ? in R × [0, T], u(x, y, 0) = f(x, y), (x, y) ∈ R = [0, 1] × [0, 1], u is known on the boundary of R and u(x^∗, y^∗, t) = E(t), 0 < t ? T, where E(t) is known and (x^∗, y^∗) is a given point of R. Through a function transformation, the nonlinear two-dimensional diffusion problem is transformed into a linear problem, and a backward Euler scheme is constructed. It is proved by the maximum principle that the scheme is uniquely solvable, unconditionally stable and convergent in L_∞ norm. The convergence orders of u and p are of O(τ + h²). The impact of initial data errors on the numerical solution is also considered. Numerical experiments are presented to illustrate the validity of the theoretical results.     

The asymptotic behaviour of the ground state solutions for Hénon equation

The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the asymptotic behaviour of the ground state solution of Hénon equation −Δu=|x|^αu^p−1 in Ω, u=0 on ∂Ω (Ω⊂Rn is a ball centered at the origin). It proved that for p close to 2∗=2n/(n−2)(n?3), the ground state solution u_p has a unique maximum point x_p and as p→2∗. The asymptotic behaviour of u_p is also given, which deduces that the ground state solution is non-radial.     

Existence and regularity to an elliptic equation with logarithmic nonlinearity

We study the nonlinear elliptic problem −Δu=χ{u>0}(logu+λf(x,u)) in Ω⊂Rn with u=0 on ∂Ω. The function is nondecreasing, sublinear and fu is continuous. For every λ>0, we obtain a maximal solution uλ?0 and prove its global regularity . There is a constant λ^∗ such that uλ vanishes on a set of positive measure for 0<λ<λ^∗, and uλ>0 for λ>λ^∗. If f is concave, for λ>λ^∗ we characterize uλ by its stability.