Multiplicity of solutions to a nonlinear elliptic problem with nonlinear boundary conditions

We study the problem $$\left\{\begin{array}{ll}\Delta_p u = |u|^{q-2}u, & \quad x \in \Omega ,\\ |\nabla u|^{p-2} \frac{\partial u}{\partial \nu}= \lambda |u|^{p-2}u, &\quad x \in \partial \Omega, \end{array}\right.$$ where \({\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^N}\) is a bounded smooth domain, \({\nu}\) is the outward unit normal at \({\partial \Omega}\) and \({\lambda > 0}\) is regarded as a bifurcation parameter. When p = 2 and in the superlinear regime q > 2, we show existence of n nontrivial solutions for all \({\lambda > \lambda_n}\) , \({\lambda_n}\) being the n-th Steklov eigenvalue. It is proved in addition that bifurcation from the trivial solution takes place at all \({\lambda_n}\) ’s. Similar results are obtained in the sublinear case 1 < q < 2. In this case, bifurcation from infinity takes place in those \({\lambda_n}\) with odd multiplicity. Partial extensions of these features are shown in the nonlinear diffusion case \({p \neq 2}\) and related problems under spatially heterogeneous reactions are also addressed.