Eigenvalues of the radial \(p\)-Laplacian with a potential on \((0,\infty)\) (Q2381605)

Consider eigenvalue problems arising from the spherically symmetric \(p\)-Laplacian in \({\mathbb R}^n\): \[ -(r^{n-1}(u^{(p-1)}) ' + r^{n-1}q(r) u^{(p-1)} = \lambda r{}^{n-1} u^{(p-1)}\text{ on }(0, \infty) \] with the boundary condition \(u'(0) = 0\), where \(p > 1\), \(f^{(p-1)} = | f| ^{(p-2)} f\), \(q\) is continuous on \([0, \infty)\), and both \(u\), \((u^{(p-1)})'\) are in \(C^1 [0, \infty)\). \(\lambda\) is called an eigenvalue if \(u\) is nontrivial and \(u \in L^p{} (0, \infty; r^{n-1})\). The authors investigate the relation between the existence of eigenvalues and the behavior of \(q\). The following two results are improvements of those considered in [\textit{B. M. Brown, W. Reichel}, J. Lond. Math. Soc. 69, 657--675 (2004; Zbl 1058.34114)] by release the constrains imposed on \(q\): (i) if \(q(r) \rightarrow \infty\) as \(r \rightarrow \infty\), then there exists a countable number of simple eigenvalues tending to infinity and there are no other eigenvalues; the corresponding \((k+1)\)-th eigenfunction has \(k\) simple zeros in \((0, \infty)\). (ii) If \(q(r) \rightarrow - \infty\) as \(r \rightarrow \infty\), and if for some \(r_1 > 0\): \(q'\in AC_{\text{loc}} (r_1, \infty)\), \(q'{}^2/q{}^{2+1/p} \in L(r_1, \infty), q^{\prime \prime}/q^{1+1/p} \in L(r_1, \infty)\) and \(q^{-(p-1)/p} \in L(r_1, \infty)\), then each solution \(u\) of the above equation satisfies \(u \in L^p (0, \infty; r^{n-1})\). The authors also give a corresponding result to (i): if \(q(r) \rightarrow 0\) as \(r \rightarrow \infty\), then there are finitely or countably infinite number of negative eigenvalues \(\lambda_0 < \lambda_1 < \cdots < 0\) and there are no other negative eigenvalues. The eigenfunction \(u_k\) corresponding to \(\lambda_k\) has \(k\) simple zeros in \((0, \infty)\). Moreover, if the condition \(q^{-(p-1)/p} \in L(r_1, \infty)\) in (ii) is replaced by \(q' \leq 0\) and \(q^{-(p-1)/p} \not \in L(r_1, \infty)\), then no nontrivial solutions of the above equation satisfies \(u \in L^p (0, \infty; r^{n-1})\). An additional conclusion is that if \(p > n\), and \(q(r) \geq -kr^{-p}\) in some interval \([r_1, \infty)\), where \(k = [(p-n)/p]^p\), then there are only finitely many negative eigenvalues.