Existence of multiple solutions of a second-order difference boundary value problem (Q963573)

Summary: We study the existence of multiple solutions of the second-order difference boundary value problem \(\Delta^2u(n-1)+V'(u(n))=0\), \(n\in\mathbb Z(1,T)\), \(u(0)=0=u(T+1)\). By applying Morse theory, critical groups, and the mountain pass theorem, we prove that the previous equation has at least three nontrivial solutions when the problem is resonant at the eigenvalue \(\lambda_k\) \((k\geq 2)\) of linear difference problem \(\Delta^2u(n-1)+\lambda u(n)=0\), \(n\in\mathbb Z(1,T)\), \(u(0)=0=u(T+1)\) near infinity and the trivial solution of the first equation is a local minimizer under some assumptions on \(V\).