Existence and multiplicity of solutions for Schrödinger-Poisson equations with sign-changing potential (Q2347177)

The authors study existence, multiplicity and concentration of solutions to the nonlinear Schrödinger-Poisson equations \[ \begin{alignedat}{2} - \Delta u + \lambda V(x) u + K(x) \varphi(x) u & = f(x,u) & \quad & \text{in } \mathbb{R}^3, \\ - \Delta \varphi & = K(x) u^2 & \quad & \text{in } \mathbb{R}^3,\end{alignedat} \] under various assumptions on the sign of the potential \(V\), and the growth of the nonlinearity \(f\) in \(u\) as \(|u| \to \infty\). Here \(\lambda > 0\) is a parameter. For \(K \equiv 0\) and \(f(x,u) = |u|^{p-1} u\), the equations reduce to the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Much literature has focused on determining which results about the nonlinear Schrödinger equation hold for the nonlinear Schrödinger-Poisson equation. Work of Ambrosetti and Ruiz using variational methods has provided a thorough description for \(f(x,u) = |u|^{p-1} u\) and \(K(x) \equiv 1 \equiv V(x)\). The authors improve a generalization from [\textit{L. Zhao} et al., J. Differ. Equations 255, No. 1, 1--23 (2013; Zbl 1286.35103)] to sign-changing potential \(V(x)\) by allowing for a weaker superlinearity condition on \(f(x,u)\). The approach uses a linking theorem of Rabinowitz. For \(f(x,u)\) sublinear, the authors improve [\textit{J. Sun}, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 390, No. 2, 514--522 (2012; Zbl 1236.35130)] by allowing for weaker assumptions on \(V(x)\), \(K(x)\), and \(f(x,u)\). The approach requires a modification of a symmetric mountain pass lemma from [\textit{R. Kajikiya}, J. Funct. Anal. 225, No. 2, 352--370 (2005; Zbl 1081.49002)]. Regarding concentration of solutions to the boundary of \(U:=V^{-1}(0)\) as \(\lambda_k \to \infty\), the authors extract from a bounded collection of solutions \(\{u_k\}\) a subsequence converging to a solution of \[ \begin{alignedat}{2} - \Delta u + \frac{1}{4 \pi} \Big( \displaystyle\frac{1}{|x|} \ast K(x)u^2 \Big)K(x) u & = f(x,u) & \quad & \text{in } U,\\ u & =0 &\quad & \text{on } \partial U.\end{alignedat} \]