Bifurcation of positive solutions to scalar reaction–diffusion equations with nonlinear boundary condition

The bifurcation of non-trivial steady state solutions of a scalar reaction–diffusion equation with nonlinear boundary conditions is considered using several new abstract bifurcation theorems. The existence and stability of positive steady state solutions are proved using a unified approach. The general results are applied to a Laplace equation with nonlinear boundary condition and bistable nonlinearity, and an elliptic equation with superlinear nonlinearity and sublinear boundary conditions.     

Nehari's problem and competing species systems

We consider an optimal partition problem in N-dimensional domains related to a method introduced by Nehari [22]. We prove existence of the minimal partition and some extremality conditions. Moreover we show some connections between the variational problem, the behaviour of competing species systems with large interaction and changing sign solutions to elliptic superlinear equations.     

The boundary blow-up rate of large solutions

In this paper we ascertain the blow-up rate of the large solutions of a class of sublinear elliptic boundary value problems with a weight function in front of the nonlinearity that vanishes on the boundary of the underlying domain, Ω, at different rates according to the point of the boundary, . All previous results in the literature assumed the decay rate of the underlying weight function to be the same at any point of ∂Ω. This hypothesis substantially simplified the mathematical analysis of the problem, as it allowed constructing global sub and supersolutions in an open neighborhood of ∂Ω. Obtaining general results requires localizing at each particular point of the boundary, making particularly involved the mathematical analysis of the problem.     

Nonexistence of solutions for singular elliptic equations with a quadratic gradient term

This paper concerns the nonexistence of solutions for singular elliptic equations with a quadratic gradient term. The main results complement and partly extend some works by Arcoya et al. (2009) [1]. As a by-product of the main results, we fill in a gap in one of their works.     

On general boundary-value problems for nonlinear elliptic equations of second order in a multiply connected plane domain

This paper deals with some general irregular oblique derivative problems for nonlinear uniformly elliptic equations of second order in a multiply connected plane domain. Firstly, we state the well-posedness of a new set of modified boundary conditions. Secondly, we verify the existence of solutions of the modified boundary-value problem for harmonic functions, and then prove the solvability of the modified problem for nonlinear elliptic equations, which includes the original boundary-value problem (i.e. boundary conditions without involving undertermined functions data). Here, mainly, the location of the zeros of analytic functions, a priori estimates for solutions and the continuity method are used in deriving all these results. Furthermore, the present approach and setting seems to be new and different from what has been employed before.The research was partially supported by a UPGC Grant of Hong Kong.     

Weighted estimates of solutions to second order parabolic equations

We evaluate the rate of decay for solutions to second order parabolic equations, which vanish on the boundary, while the right-hand side is allowed to be unbounded. Our approach is based on a special growth lemma, and it works for both divergence and non-divergence equations, in domains satisfying a general “exterior measure condition” (A). The result for elliptic case is published in Cho and Safonov (2007) [2].     

Spectral stability of general non-negative self-adjoint operators with applications to Neumann-type operators

We prove a stability theorem for the eigenvalues of general non-negative self-adjoint linear operators with compact resolvents and by applying it we prove a sharp stability result for the dependence of the eigenvalues of second order uniformly elliptic linear operators with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions upon domain perturbation.     

Overdetermined elliptic problems in topological disks

We introduce a method, based on the Poincaré–Hopf index theorem, to classify solutions to overdetermined problems for fully nonlinear elliptic equations in domains diffeomorphic to a closed disk. Applications to some well-known nonlinear elliptic PDEs are provided. Our result can be seen as the analogue of Hopf's uniqueness theorem for constant mean curvature spheres, but for the general analytic context of overdetermined elliptic problems.     

The effects of indefinite nonlinear boundary conditions on the structure of the positive solutions set of a logistic equation

We investigate a semilinear elliptic equation with a logistic nonlinearity and an indefinite nonlinear boundary condition, both depending on a parameter λ. Overall, we analyze the effect of the indefinite nonlinear boundary condition on the structure of the positive solutions set. Based on variational and bifurcation techniques, our main results establish the existence of three nontrivial non-negative solutions for some values of λ, as well as their asymptotic behavior. These results suggest that the positive solutions set contains an S-shaped component in some case, as well as a combination of a C-shaped and an S-shaped components in another case.     

Quasilinear elliptic system in exterior domains with dependence on the gradient

In this paper, we deal with a quasilinear elliptic system in exterior domains with dependence on the gradient and coupling of the equations not only inside of the domain, but also on the boundary. We prove the existence of positive, negative or sign changing weak solutions. Our approach relies on an aproximation argument and an adequate elliptic “a priori” estimate.     

Boundary differentiability of solutions of elliptic equations on convex domains

The boundary differentiability is shown for solutions of elliptic differential equations in non-divergence form on convex domains. Counterexamples are given to illustrate that the result is optimal in the sense that gradients of solutions exist but may be discontinuous along boundaries.     

Multiple constant sign and nodal solutions for nonlinear elliptic equations with the p-Laplacian

We consider a nonlinear elliptic equation driven by the p-Laplacian with Dirichlet boundary conditions. Using variational techniques combined with the method of upper-lower solutions and suitable truncation arguments, we establish the existence of at least five nontrivial solutions. Two positive, two negative and a nodal (sign-changing) solution. Our framework of analysis incorporates both coercive and p-superlinear problems. Also the result on multiple constant sign solutions incorporates the case of concave-convex nonlinearities.     

On global bifurcation for quasilinear elliptic systems on bounded domains

General second order quasilinear elliptic systems with nonlinear boundary conditions on bounded domains are formulated into nonlinear mappings between Sobolev spaces. It is shown that the linearized mapping is a Fredholm operator of index zero. This and the abstract global bifurcation theorem of [Jacobo Pejsachowicz, Patrick J. Rabier, Degree theory for C¹ Fredholm mappings of index 0, J. Anal. Math. 76 (1998) 289-319] allow us to carry out bifurcation analysis directly on these elliptic systems. At the abstract level, we establish a unilateral global bifurcation result that is needed when studying positive solutions. Finally, we supply two examples of cross-diffusion population model and chemotaxis model to demonstrate how the theory can be applied.     

A nonresonance condition for radial solutions of a nonlinear Neumann elliptic problem

We prove an existence result for radial solutions of a Neumann elliptic problem whose nonlinearity asymptotically lies between the first two eigenvalues. To this aim, we introduce an alternative nonresonance condition with respect to the second eigenvalue which, in the scalar case, generalizes the classical one, in the spirit of Fonda et al. (1991) [2]. Our approach also applies for nonlinearities which do not necessarily satisfy a subcritical growth assumption.     

On solution uniqueness of elliptic boundary value problems

In this paper, we consider the problem of solution uniqueness for the second order elliptic boundary value problem, by looking at its finite element or finite difference approximations. We derive several equivalent conditions, which are simpler and easier than the boundedness of the entries of the inverse matrix given in Yamamoto et al., [T. Yamamoto, S. Oishi, Q. Fang, Discretization principles for linear two-point boundary value problems, II, Numer. Funct. Anal. Optim. 29 (2008) 213–224]. The numerical experiments are provided to support the analysis made. Strictly speaking, the uniqueness of solution is equivalent to the existence of nonzero eigenvalues in the corresponding eigenvalue problem, and this condition should be checked by solving the corresponding eigenvalue problems. An application of the equivalent conditions is that we may discover the uniqueness simultaneously, while seeking the approximate solutions of elliptic boundary equations.     

Multiple Positive Radial Solutions of Elliptic Equations in an Exterior Domain

Several existence theorems on multiple positive radial solutions of the elliptic boundary value problem in an exterior domain are obtained by using the fixed point index theory. Our conclusions are essential improvements of the results in [7], [10] and [13].     

Qualitative analysis of a predator-prey model with Holling type II functional response incorporating a prey refuge

We study a predator-prey model with Holling type II functional response incorporating a prey refuge under homogeneous Neumann boundary condition. We show the existence and non-existence of non-constant positive steady-state solutions depending on the constant m∈(0,1], which provides a condition for protecting (1−m)u of prey u from predation. Moreover, we investigate the asymptotic behavior of spacially inhomogeneous solutions and the local existence of periodic solutions.     

On the existence of pair positive–negative solutions for resonance problems

This paper deals with a class of semilinear elliptic Dirichlet boundary value problems at resonance. We introduce a sufficient Landesman–Lazer condition for the existence of pair positive–negative solutions. Furthermore, developing the fibering method in the framework of the Leray–Schauder degree theory we can prove the existence of branches for positive and negative solutions.     

A priori estimate for non-uniform elliptic equations

A priori estimate for non-uniform elliptic equations with periodic boundary conditions is concerned. The domain considered consists of two sub-regions, a connected high permeability region and a disconnected matrix block region with low permeability. Let ? denote the size ratio of one matrix block to the whole domain. It is shown that in the connected high permeability sub-region, the Hölder and the Lipschitz estimates of the non-uniform elliptic solutions are bounded uniformly in ?. But Hölder gradient estimate and Lp estimate of the second order derivatives of the solutions in general are not bounded uniformly in ?.