Duality for a Class of Multiobjective Control Problems

In this paper, a class of multiobjective control problems is considered, where the objective and constraint functions involved are f(t, x(t), ?(t), y(t), z(t)) with x(t) ∈ Rⁿ, y(t) ∈ Rⁿ, and z(t) ∈ R^m, where x(t) and z(t) are the control variables and y(t) is the state variable. Under the assumption of invexity and its generalization, duality theorems are proved through a parametric approach to related properly efficient solutions of the primal and dual problems.     

On the oscillation of Hill's equations under periodic forcing

We use the Floquet theory of the Hill's equation to prove the conjecture that all solutions of the second order forced linear differential equation y^″+c(sint)y=cost, are oscillatory on [0,∞) for all c≠0.     

Control problems for parabolic equations on controlled domains

Given the one-dimensional heat equation v_t = v_xx on the controlled domain Q(y) = {(t, x); 0 < x < y(t), 0 < t < T} subject to some initial-boundary conditions, we study the problem of optimally selecting y(·) from some admissible class so as to maximize a given payoff of fixed duration. Q(y) is thus a controlled domain. We also study the problem in which the heat equation holds in Q(y, z) = {z(t) < x < y(t), 0 < t < T}; z minimizing, y maximizing, i.e., the differential game. The principle techniques involved are (i) transforming the controlled domain to an uncontrolled domain and then (ii) using the method of lines for parabolic equations to enable us to use known results for control systems governed by ordinary differential equations. Sufficient conditions for existence in an admissible class is given and the method of lines allows numerical techniques to be applied to determine the optimal control in our class.     

The method of lower and upper solutions for third order singular four point boundary value problems

We mainly study the existence of positive solutions for the following third order singular four point boundary value problem $$\begin{cases}x^{(3)}(t)+f(t,x,x',-x'')=0,\quad 0<t<1,\\x(0)-\alpha x(\xi)=0,\quad x'(1)-\beta x'(\eta)=0,\quad x''(0)=0.\end{cases}$$ where 0≤α<1, 0≤β<1, 0<ξ<1,0<η<1. And we obtain some necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of C ²[0,1] positive solutions by means of the lower and upper solution method. Our nonlinearity f(t,x,y,z) may be singular at x,y,z,t=0 and/or t=1.     

Oscillation theorem for superlinear second order damped differential equations

In this paper, we are concerned with the oscillation of second order superlinear differential equations of the form

(a(t)y^′(t))^′+p(t)y^′(t)+q(t)f(y(t))=0.     

Oscillation criteria of a certain class of third order nonlinear delay differential equations with damping

In this paper, we are concerned with the oscillation of third order nonlinear delay differential equations of the form

(r₂(t)(r₁(t)y^′)′)′+p(t)y^′+q(t)f(y(g(t)))=0.     

Oscillation criteria for second-order nonlinear neutral delay dynamic equations

In this paper we will establish some oscillation criteria for the second-order nonlinear neutral delay dynamic equation

(r(t)((y(t)+p(t)y(t−τ)Δ⁾γ⁾Δ⁾+f(t,y(t−δ))=0     

On the existence of periodic solutions to p-Laplacian Rayleigh differential equation with a delay

In this paper, the authors study the existence of periodic solutions to a p-Laplacian Rayleigh differential equation with a delay as follows:

(φp(y^′(t))^)′+f(y^′(t))+g(y(t−τ(t)))=e(t),     

Positive and dead core solutions of singular BVPs for third-order differential equations

The paper discusses the existence of positive and dead core solutions of the singular differential equation (?(u^″))^′=λf(t,u,u^′,u^″) satisfying the boundary conditions u(0)=A, u(T)=A, min{u(t):t∈[0,T]}=0. Here λ is a nonnegative parameter, A is a positive constant and the Carathéodory function f(t,x,y,z) is singular at the value 0 of its space variable y.     

New oscillation criteria of second-order nonlinear differential equations

By employing a class of new functions Φ=Φ(t,s,l) and a generalized Riccati technique, some new oscillation and interval oscillation criteria are established for the second-order nonlinear differential equation

(r(t)y^′(t))^′+Q(t,y(t),y^′(t))=0.     

Growth estimates for solutions to initial-boundary value problems in viscoelasticity

For the abstract Volterra integro-differential equation u_tt ? Nu + ∝_?∞^t K(t ? τ) u(τ) dτ = 0 in Hilbert space, with prescribed past history u(τ) = U(τ), ? ∞ < τ < 0, and associated initial data u(0) = f, u_t(0) = g, we establish conditions on K(t), ? ∞ < t < + ∞ which yield various growth estimates for solutions u(t), belonging to a certain uniformly bounded class, as well as lower bounds for the rate of decay of solutions. Our results are interpreted in terms of solutions to a class of initial-boundary value problems in isothermal linear viscoelasticity.     

A variational approach to dislocation problems for periodic Schrödinger operators

As a simple model for lattice defects like grain boundaries in solid state physics we consider potentials which are obtained from a periodic potential V=V(x,y) on R² with period lattice Z² by setting Wt(x,y)=V(x+t,y) for x<0 and Wt(x,y)=V(x,y) for x?0, for t∈[0,1]. For Lipschitz-continuous V it is shown that the Schrödinger operators Ht=−Δ+Wt have spectrum (surface states) in the spectral gaps of H₀, for suitable t∈(0,1). We also discuss the density of these surface states as compared to the density of the bulk. Our approach is variational and it is first applied to the well-known dislocation problem (Korotyaev (2000, 2005) [15] and [16]) on the real line. We then proceed to the dislocation problem for an infinite strip and for the plane. In Appendix A, we discuss regularity properties of the eigenvalue branches in the one-dimensional dislocation problem for suitable classes of potentials.     

Positive solutions for Dirichlet problems of singular nonlinear fractional differential equations

In this paper, we investigate the existence of positive solutions for the singular fractional boundary value problem: Dαu(t)+f(t,u(t),Dμu(t))=0, u(0)=u(1)=0, where 1<α<2, 0<μ?α−1, Dα is the standard Riemann-Liouville fractional derivative, f is a positive Carathéodory function and f(t,x,y) is singular at x=0. By means of a fixed point theorem on a cone, the existence of positive solutions is obtained. The proofs are based on regularization and sequential techniques.     

Positive solutions to superlinear singular boundary value problems

New existence results are presented for the second-order equation y″ + f(t,y) = 0, 0<t<1 with Dirichlet or mixed boundary data. In our theory the nonlinearity f is allowed to change sign. Singularities at y = 0, t = 0 and t = 1 are discussed.     

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.     

Asymptotic behaviour of a class of nonlinear functional differential equations of third order

This paper deals with nonoscillatory behaviour of solutions of third-order nonlinear functional differential equations of the form y‴ + p(t)y′ + q(t)F(y(g(t))) = 0. It has been shown that under certain conditions on coefficient functions, the nonoscillatory solutions of this equation tends to either zero or ∓∞ as t → ∞.     

Oscillation and asymptotic behavior of bounded solutions of functional differential equations with delay

Conditions on a(t), g(t), and f(t) have been found under which the bounded nonoscillatory solutions of the equation y⁽ⁿ⁾(t) ? a(t) y(g(t)) = f(t) approach zero. For the even order equation y⁽²ⁿ⁾(t) ? a(t) y(g(t)) = f(t) the delay is shown to be causing the oscillatory behavior.     

Large time behavior of differential equations with drifted periodic coefficients modeling carbon storage in soil

This paper is concerned with the linear ODE in the form y′(t) = λρ(t)y(t) + b(t), λ < 0 which represents a simplified storage model of the carbon in the soil. In the first part, we show that, for a periodic function ρ(t), a linear drift in the coefficient b(t) involves a linear drift for the solution of this ODE. In the second part, we extend the previous results to a classical heat non-homogeneous equation. The connection with an analytic semi-group associated to the ODE equation is considered in the third part. Numerical examples are given.     

An inverse problem for computing a leading coefficient in the Sturm-Liouville operator by using the boundary data

We consider an inverse problem for identifying a leading coefficient α(x) in −(α(x)y′(x))′ + q(x)y(x) = H(x), which is known as an inverse coefficient problem for the Sturm-Liouville operator. We transform y(x) to u(x, t) =  (1 + t)y(x) and derive a parabolic type PDE in a fictitious time domain of t. Then we develop a Lie-group adaptive method (LGAM) to find the coefficient function α(x). When α(x) is a continuous function of x, we can identify it very well, by giving boundary data of y, y′ and α. The efficiency of LGAM is confirmed by comparing the numerical results with exact solutions. Although the data used in the identification are limited, we can provide a rather accurate solution of α(x).     

The method of lower and upper solutions for fourth order singular m-point boundary value problems

This paper investigates the existence of positive solutions for fourth order singular m-point boundary value problems. Firstly, we establish a comparison theorem, then we define a partial ordering in C²[0,1]∩C⁴(0,1) and construct lower and upper solutions to give a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of C²[0,1] as well as C³[0,1] positive solutions. Our nonlinearity f(t,x,y) may be singular at x, y, t=0 and/or t=1.