Boundary value problems for first order systems on the half-line (Q2386873)

This paper deals with existence problems for first-order boundary value problems on \((0, +\infty)\) of the form \[ u''+F(\cdot,u)=f, \, Pu(0)=\xi, \] where the function \(F=F(t,u)\) has a \(t\)-independent limit at infinity and \(P\) is a given projection. It is assumed the \(\xi\) belongs to some subspace \(X_1\) of \({\mathbb R}^n\). The right-hand side \(f\) is in \(L^p((0,\infty), {\mathbb R}^n)\) and the solutions are sought in \(W^{1,p}((0,\infty), {\mathbb R}^n)\), so that they tend to zero at infinity. This class of problems includes the question of the existence of solutions vanishing at infinity to first-order systems, with or without an initial condition. For systems of second-order equations in the unknown \(u\), it is treated the problem of the existence of solutions such that \(u(0)=\xi, \quad \lim_{t\to \infty}u(t)=0=\lim_{t\to \infty}u'(t)\). The work is performed in the framework of degree theory. Being the Leray-Schauder degree not adequate for dealing with infinite intervals, it is used a degree for proper Fredholm mappings of index zero. Thus, conditions have to be imposed on \(F,P\) having a twofold aim. On the one hand, Fredholmness of the governing operator must be guaranteed. On the other hand, a-priori bounds must be performed; this task represents the major part of the work. To illustrate the results, we quote Theorem 7.3. ``Assume that \(g,h\) are real-valued functions such that: (1) \quad \(g(s)=0 \iff s=0\) and \(h(s)=0 \iff s=0\); (2) \quad\(g,h \in {\mathcal C}^1\) and \(g'\geq 0, h' \geq 0\); (3) \quad \(g''(0)>0,h'(0)>0\); (4) \quad \(\liminf_{| s| \to \infty} g'(s)>0, \, \liminf_{| s| \to \infty} h'(s)>0\); (5) \quad \(\exists C >0, \exists r \in [0,2]\) s.t. \(| h(s)| \leq C(1+| s| ^r)\), for all \(s\). Then, for every \(\xi \in {\mathbb R}\), the system \(v'+h(w)=0, \quad w'+g(v)=0\), has at least one solution \((v,w) \in W^{1,2}\) such that \(v(0)=\xi\).'' In the last two sections of the paper, existence results are also obtained when the right hand-side has an exponential decay, a situation in which the governing operator is not Fredholm.