Disconjugacy and extremal solutions of nonlinear third-order equations (Q2438950)

The authors make an exhaustive study of the third order linear equations \[ L_i[M]\, u(t):=u'''(t)+M\, u^{(i)}(t)=0,\quad t \in [0,1],\quad i=0,1,2, \] coupled with the two-point \((k,3-k)\)- boundary conditions \[ u(0)=u^{(k)}(0)=u(1)=u^{(1-k)}(1)=0,\quad k=0,1. \] They obtain the optimal estimates of the real parameter \(M\) for which the Green's functions, related to such problems, have constant sign on \([0,1] \times [0,1]\). The sufficient conditions follow from the disconjugacy theory. The optimality of the obtained values is deduced from the direct study of the Green's functions. The results are applied to the development of the lower and upper solutions method.