On a class of similarity solutions of the porous media equation,III

It is shown how existence questions for general multiparameter eigenvalue problems can be treated quite simply using degree theory. The equations to be solved are W_n(λ)x_n = 0 ≠ x_n, n = 1, 2,…, k, where λ ? $\text{R}$^k and each W_n(λ) is a self-adjoint linear operator on a Hilbert space H_n. The W_n, which may be unbounded, depend continuously on λ in a suitable sense. A coercivity condition for large ∥ λ ∥ is used, and is shown to be equivalent, in the “linear” case, to a standard determinantal definiteness condition.