Solution to the boundary blowup problem for \(k\)-curvature equation (Q2493992)

Let \(u(x)\in C^2(\Omega)\), \(\Omega\subset \mathbb R^n\), and let \(k_1,\cdots, k_n\) denote the principal curvatures of the graph of the function \(u\). For \(k=1,\cdots, n\), denote by \(S_k\) the \(k\)-th elementary symmetric function of \(k_1,\cdots, k_n\). The paper deals with the problem \[ S_k(k_1,\cdots, k_n)=f(u)g(| Du| )\;\;in\;\;\Omega,\;\;\;\;\;u(x)\to\infty\;\;\;as \;\;x\to\partial\Omega. \] This kind of problems have been extensively studied in the semilinear and even in the quasilinear case, which includes the case \(k=1\) in above. Under suitable conditions on \(\Omega\), \(f\) and \(g\), the author proves the existence of a (boundary blow-up) solution. Moreover, an asymptotic behavior of the solution near the boundary \(\partial\Omega\) is established. Concerning the conditions on the data, they depend on \(k\). For example, \(\Omega\) must satisfy a condition of \(k\)-convexity. The function \(f\) must be smooth, positive and increasing. The function \(g\) is supposed to be smooth, non increasing for \(t\) large and such that \(g(t)\to 0\) as \(t\to\infty\). Moreover, \(f\) must satisfy a growth condition which depends on \(g\), and \(g\) must satisfy an appropriate condition which depends on \(k\). An interesting example is: \(g(t)=(1+| Du| ^2)^{-q/2}\), and \(f(t)=t^p\),with \(p>q\) and \(1\leq q\leq k-1\). Another example investigated is: \(f(t)=e^{pu}\) and \(g\) as before. Also results of non existence are discussed. For example, the case corresponding to \(f(t)=e^{pt}\), \(g(t)=e^{qt}\), does not have any boundary blow-up solution. As for the boundary behavior, the following result is found \[ C_1 \text{ dist}(x,\partial\Omega)\leq \psi(u(x))\leq C_2 \text{ dist}(x,\partial\Omega), \] where \(\psi\) is a suitable function which depends on \(f\), \(g\) and \(k\), and tends to zero as \(t\) tends to infinity.