Asymptotic analysis and sign-changing bubble towers for Lane-Emden problems (Q493143)

This paper deals with the Lane-Emden problem: \[ \begin{cases} -\Delta u=|u|^{p-1}u\quad &\text{in}\;\,\Omega, \\ u=0\quad &\text{on}\;\,\partial\Omega. \end{cases} \tag{eq1} \] Here \(\Omega\) is a smooth bounded domain in \(\mathbb{R}^2\) and \(p>1\). There are few results about asymptotic behaviors of sign-changing solutions to ({eq1}) in the literature. This paper is concerned with the analysis of the concentration phenomenon for sign-changing solutions of problem ({eq1}) as \(p\to +\infty\). For a given family \((u_{p})\) of sign-changing solutions of ({eq1}) we let {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize} \item[1.] \(NL_p\) be the nodal line of \(u_{p}\), \item [2.] \(x_p^{\pm}\) be a maximum/minimum point in \(\Omega\) of \(u_{p}\), \item [3.] \(\mu_p^{\pm}:=1/\sqrt{p|u_p(x_p^{\pm})|^{p-1}}\), \item [4.] \(\widetilde{\Omega}_p^{\pm}:=(\Omega-x_p^{\pm})/\mu_p^{\pm}\). \end{itemize}} Then the main result is: Let \(\Omega\subset\mathbb{R}^2\) be a connected bounded smooth domain, invariant under the action of a cyclic group \(G\) of rotations about the origin, with \(|G|\geq 4e\) and such that the origin \(O\) is in \(\Omega\). Let \((u_p)\) be a family of sign-changing \(G\)-symmetric solutions of ({eq1}) with two nodal regions, \(NL_p\cap \partial\Omega=\emptyset\), \(O\not\in NL_p\) and \[ p\int_{\Omega}|\nabla u_p|^2dx\leq \alpha 8\pi e \] for some \(\alpha<5\) and \(p\) large. Then, assuming without loss of generality that \(\|u_p\|_\infty=\|u_p^{+}\|_\infty\), we have {\parindent=6mm \begin{itemize} \item[(i)] \(|x_p^{\pm}|\to O\) as \(p\to+\infty\); \item [(ii)] \(NL_p\) shrinks to the origin as \(p\to +\infty\); \item [(iii)] the rescaled functions \(v_p^+(x):=p\frac{u_p(x_p^++\mu_p^+x)-u_p(x_p^+)}{u_p(x_p^+)}\), about the maximum point, defined in \(\widetilde{\Omega}_p^{+}\) converge (up to a subsequence) to the regular solution \(U\) of \[ -\Delta U=e^U\quad\text{in}\;\,\mathbb{R}^2,\quad\int_{\mathbb{R}^2}e^U dx=8\pi, \] with \(U(0)=0\) in \(C_{\text{loc}}^1(\mathbb{R}^2)\) as \(p\to +\infty\); \item [(iv)] the rescaled functions \(v_p^-(x):=p\frac{u_p(x_p^-+\mu_p^-x)-u_p(x_p^-)}{u_p(x_p^-)}\), about the minimum point, defined in \(\widetilde{\Omega}_p^{-}\) converge (up to a subsequence) to \(V(x-x_\infty)\) in \(C_{\text{loc}}^1(\mathbb{R}^2\setminus\{x_\infty\})\) as \(p\to +\infty\), where \(V\) is a singular radial solution of \[ -\Delta V=e^V+H\delta_0\quad\text{in}\;\,\mathbb{R}^2,\quad\int_{\mathbb{R}^2}e^V dx<\infty, \] with some suitable negative constant \(H\), and \(x_\infty:=-\lim_{p\to\infty}x_p^-/\mu_p^-\in\mathbb{R}^2\setminus\{0\}\); \item [(v)] \(\sqrt{p}u_p\to 0\) in \(C_{\text{loc}}^1(\bar(\Omega)\setminus\{0\})\) as \(p\to+\infty\). \end{itemize}} This is the first result of this kind for problem ({eq1}) in domains different from the ball.