Morse index of layered solutions to the heterogeneous Allen-Cahn equation

Let u? be a single layered radially symmetric unstable solution of the Allen-Cahn equation −?²Δu=u(u−a(|x|))(1−u) over the unit ball with Neumann boundary conditions. We estimate the small eigenvalues of the linearized eigenvalue problem at u? when ? is small. As a consequence, we prove that the Morse index of u? is asymptotically given by [μ^∗+o(1)]?−(N−1)/2 with μ^∗ a certain positive constant expressed in terms of parameters determined by the Allen-Cahn equation. Our estimates on the small eigenvalues have many other applications. For example, they may be used in the search of other non-radially symmetric solutions, which will be considered in forthcoming papers.     

Existence and non-existence of solutions for a class of Monge-Ampère equations

We study the boundary value problems for Monge-Ampère equations: detD²u=e−u in Ω⊂Rn, n?1, u_|∂Ω=0. First we prove that any solution on the ball is radially symmetric by the argument of moving plane. Then we show there exists a critical radius such that if the radius of a ball is smaller than this critical value there exists a solution, and vice versa. Using the comparison between domains we can prove that this phenomenon occurs for every domain. Finally we consider an equivalent problem with a parameter detD²u=e−tu in Ω, u_|∂Ω=0, t?0. By using Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction method we get the local structure of the solutions near a degenerate point; by Leray-Schauder degree theory, a priori estimate and bifurcation theory we get the global structure.     

Coincidence sets in quasilinear elliptic problems of monostable type

This paper concerns the formation of a coincidence set for the positive solution of the boundary value problem: −εΔpu=uq−1f(a(x)−u) in Ω with u=0 on ∂Ω, where ε is a positive parameter, Δpu=div(|∇u|^p−2∇u), 1<q?p<∞, f(s)∼|s|^θ−1s(s→0) for some θ>0 and a(x) is a positive smooth function satisfying Δpa=0 in Ω with infΩ|∇a|>0. It is proved in this paper that if 0<θ<1 the coincidence set Oε={x∈Ω:uε(x)=a(x)} has a positive measure for small ε and converges to Ω with order O(ε1/p) as ε→0. Moreover, it is also shown that if θ?1, then Oε is empty for any ε>0. The proofs rely on comparison theorems and the energy method for obtaining local comparison functions.     

Existence of solutions for degenerate quasilinear elliptic equations

This paper deals with a class of degenerate quasilinear elliptic equations of the form −div(a(x,u,∇u)=g−div(f), where a(x,u,∇u) is allowed to be degenerate with the unknown u. We prove existence of bounded solutions under some hypothesis on f and g. Moreover we prove that there exists a renormalized solution in the case where g∈L¹(Ω) and f∈(L^p′(Ω))^N.     

Multiple positive and 2-nodal symmetric solutions of elliptic problems with critical nonlinearity

We consider the problem −Δu+a(x)u=f(x)|u|^2*−2u in Ω, u=0 on ∂Ω, where Ω is a bounded smooth domain in RN, N?4, is the critical Sobolev exponent, and a,f are continuous functions. We assume that Ω, a and f are invariant under the action of a group of orthogonal transformations. We obtain multiplicity results which contain information about the symmetry and symmetry-breaking properties of the solutions, and about their nodal domains. Our results include new multiplicity results for the Brezis-Nirenberg problem −Δu+λu=|u|^2*−2u in Ω, u=0 on ∂Ω.     

Regularity of the extremal solution for some elliptic problems with singular nonlinearity and advection

In this note, we investigate the regularity of the extremal solution u^? for the semilinear elliptic equation −△u+c(x)⋅∇u=λf(u) on a bounded smooth domain of Rn with Dirichlet boundary condition. Here f is a positive nondecreasing convex function, exploding at a finite value a∈(0,∞). We show that the extremal solution is regular in the low-dimensional case. In particular, we prove that for the radial case, all extremal solutions are regular in dimension two.     

Existence of radial solutions with prescribed number of zeros for elliptic equations and their Morse index

In this paper we consider radially symmetric solutions of the nonlinear Dirichlet problem Δu+f(|x|,u)=0 in Ω, where Ω is a ball in RN, N?3 and f satisfies some appropriate assumptions. We prove existence of radially symmetric solutions with k prescribed number of zeros. Moreover, when f(|x|,u)=K(|x|)|u|^p−1u, using the uniqueness result due to Tanaka (2008) [21], we verify that these solutions are non-degenerate and we prove that their radial Morse index is exactly k.     

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.     

Entire solutions for a semilinear fourth order elliptic problem with exponential nonlinearity

We investigate entire radial solutions of the semilinear biharmonic equation Δ²u=λexp(u) in Rn, n?5, λ>0 being a parameter. We show that singular radial solutions of the corresponding Dirichlet problem in the unit ball cannot be extended as solutions of the equation to the whole of Rn. In particular, they cannot be expanded as power series in the natural variable s=log|x|. Next, we prove the existence of infinitely many entire regular radial solutions. They all diverge to −∞ as |x|→∞ and we specify their asymptotic behaviour. As in the case with power-type nonlinearities [F. Gazzola, H.-Ch. Grunau, Radial entire solutions for supercritical biharmonic equations, Math. Ann. 334 (2006) 905-936], the entire singular solution x?−4log|x| plays the role of a separatrix in the bifurcation picture. Finally, a technique for the computer assisted study of a broad class of equations is developed. It is applied to obtain a computer assisted proof of the underlying dynamical behaviour for the bifurcation diagram of a corresponding autonomous system of ODEs, in the case n=5.     

Removable singularity of the polyharmonic equation

Let x₀∈Ω⊂Rⁿ, n≥2, be a domain and let m≥2. We will prove that a solution u of the polyharmonic equation Δ^mu=0 in Ω?{x₀} has a removable singularity at x₀ if and only if as |x−x₀|→0 for n≥3 and as |x−x₀|→0 for n=2. For m≥2 we will also prove that u has a removable singularity at x₀ if |u(x)|=o(|x−x₀|^2m−n) as |x−x₀|→0 for n≥3 and |u(x)|=o(|x−x₀|^2m−2log(|x−x₀|⁻¹)) as |x−x₀|→0 for n=2.     

Elliptic systems with measurable coefficients of the type of Lamé system in three dimensions

We study the 3×3 elliptic systems ∇(a(x)∇×u)−∇(b(x)∇⋅u)=f, where the coefficients a(x) and b(x) are positive scalar functions that are measurable and bounded away from zero and infinity. We prove that weak solutions of the above system are Hölder continuous under some minimal conditions on the inhomogeneous term f. We also present some applications and discuss several related topics including estimates of the Green?s functions and the heat kernels of the above systems.     

Smoothing properties for a coupled system of nonlinear evolution dispersive equations

We study the smoothness properties of solutions to the coupled system of equations of Korteweg—de Vries type. We show that the equations dispersive nature leads to a gain in regularity for the solution. In particular, if the initial data (u₀, v₀ possesses certain regularity and sufficient decay as x → ∞, then the solution (u(t). v(t)) will be smoother than (u0, v0) for 0 < t ≤ T where T is the existence time of the solution.     

Homoclinic bifurcations at the onset of pulse self-replication

We establish a series of properties of symmetric, N-pulse, homoclinic solutions of the reduced Gray-Scott system: u^″=uv², v^″=v−uv², which play a pivotal role in questions concerning the existence and self-replication of pulse solutions of the full Gray-Scott model. Specifically, we establish the existence, and study properties, of solution branches in the (α,β)-plane that represent multi-pulse homoclinic orbits, where α and β are the central values of u(x) and v(x), respectively. We prove bounds for these solution branches, study their behavior as α→∞, and establish a series of geometric properties of these branches which are valid throughout the (α,β)-plane. We also establish qualitative properties of multi-pulse solutions and study how they bifurcate, i.e., how they change along the solution branches.     

Lane-Emden-Fowler equations with convection and singular potential

We are concerned with singular elliptic problems of the form −Δu±p(d(x))g(u)=λf(x,u)+μa|∇u| in Ω, where Ω is a smooth bounded domain in RN, d(x)=dist(x,∂Ω), λ>0, μ∈R, 0<a?2, and f is a nondecreasing function. We assume that p(d(x)) is a positive weight with possible singular behavior on the boundary of Ω and that the nonlinearity g is unbounded around the origin. Taking into account the competition between the anisotropic potential p(d(x)), the convection term a|∇u|, and the singular nonlinearity g, we establish various existence and nonexistence results.     

Convergence to strong nonlinear diffusion waves for solutions to p-system with damping on quadrant

In this paper, we consider the so-called p-system with linear damping on quadrant. We show that for a certain class of given large initial data (v₀(x),u₀(x)), the corresponding initial-boundary value problem admits a unique global smooth solution (v(x,t),u(x,t)) and such a solution tends time-asymptotically, at the Lp (2?p?∞) optimal decay rates, to the corresponding nonlinear diffusion wave which satisfies (1.9) provided the corresponding prescribed initial error function (V₀(x),U₀(x)) lies in (H³(R⁺)∩L¹(R⁺))×(H²(R⁺)∩L¹(R⁺)).     

Existence and asymptotic behavior for elliptic equations with singular anisotropic potentials

We study the equation Δu+u|u|^p−1+V(x)u+f(x)=0 in Rn, where n?3 and p>n/(n−2). The forcing term f and the potential V can be singular at zero, change sign and decay polynomially at infinity. We can consider anisotropic potentials of form h(x)|x|⁻² where h is not purely angular. We obtain solutions u which blow up at the origin and do not belong to any Lebesgue space Lr. Also, u is positive and radial, in case f and V are. Asymptotic stability properties of solutions, their behavior near the singularity, and decay are addressed.     

An elliptic system with bifurcation parameters on the boundary conditions

In this paper we consider the elliptic system Δu=a(x)upvq, Δv=b(x)urvs in Ω, a smooth bounded domain, with boundary conditions , on ∂Ω. Here λ and μ are regarded as parameters and p,s>1, q,r>0 verify (p−1)(s−1)>qr. We consider the case where a(x)?0 in Ω and a(x) is allowed to vanish in an interior subdomain Ω₀, while b(x)>0 in . Our main results include existence of nonnegative nontrivial solutions in the range 0<λ<λ₁?∞, μ>0, where λ₁ is characterized by means of an eigenvalue problem, and the uniqueness of such solutions. We also study their asymptotic behavior in all possible cases: as both λ,μ→0, as λ→λ₁<∞ for fixed μ (respectively μ→∞ for fixed λ) and when both λ,μ→∞ in case λ₁=∞.     

Existence of boundary blow-up solutions for a quasilinear elliptic equation

In this paper, the existence of solution for a class of quasilinear elliptic problem div(|? u| ^p?2 ? u)=a(x)f(u), u≥0 in Ω=B (the unit ball), with the boundary blow-up condition u| _?Ω=+∞ is established, where a(x)∈C(Ω) blows up on ?Ω,p>1 and f is assumed to satisfy (f ₁) and (f ₂). The results are obtained by using sub-supersolution methods.     

Vanishing exponential integrability for functions whose gradients belong to L(log(e+L))

If the gradient of u(x) is nth power locally integrable on Euclidean n-space, then the integral average over a ball B of the exponential of a constant multiple of |u(x)−u_B|^n/(n−1), u_B=average of u over B, tends to 1 as the radius of B shrinks to zero—for quasi almost all center points. This refines a result of N. Trudinger (1967). We prove here a similar result for the class of gradients in Lⁿ(log(e+L))^α, 0?α?n−1. The results depend on a capacitary strong-type inequality for these spaces.