Harnack inequalities for Yamabe type equations (Q1046489)

Several interesting properties of Yamabe and prescribed curvature equations are stated. Let \((M,g)\) be a Riemannian manifold, \(\dim M= n\geq 3\) and denote by \(\Delta\) the geometric Laplacian and by \(R_g\) the scalar curvature. The scalar curvature equation is: \[ {4(n-1)\over n-2}\;\Delta u+ R_g u= Vu^{N- 1},\quad u> 0, \] where \(N= {2n\over n-2}\), \(V\) denoting a function (prescribed scalar curvature). If \(V= 1\) this is the Yamabe equation. An existence result for the Yamabe equation on compact Riemannian manifolds was proved by Aubin and Schoen. In this paper, firstly the author gives an estimate of type \(\sup\times\text{inf}\) on a compact Riemannian manifold for every positive solution \(u_\varepsilon\) of the equation \[ \Delta u_\varepsilon+\varepsilon u_\varepsilon u^{N-1}_\varepsilon=V_\varepsilon u_\varepsilon^{N-1},\quad\varepsilon> 0, \] \(V_\varepsilon\) denoting a bounded positive function. Then, an estimate of type \(\sup\times\text{inf}\) is stated for the solutions of the equation: \[ \Delta u-\lambda u= n(n- 2)u^{N- 1}, \] assuming the existence of a positive number \(m\) such that \[ m\leq\lambda+ {n-2\over 4(n- 1)}\;R_g\leq {1\over m}. \] These results are useful in obtaining upper bounds for the product \(\sup\times\text{inf}\) for the equation: \[ \Delta u_\varepsilon+\varepsilon u_\varepsilon= n(n- 2) u^{N- 1}_\varepsilon, \] assuming that \(M\) is compact, \(0< m\leq R_g\leq{1\over m}\) on \(M\) and \(\varepsilon\) is sufficiently small. Finally, if \((M,g)\) is compact with \(R_g> 0\) everywhere, any sequence \(\{u_i\}\) of positive solutions of the equation \(\Delta u_i+ \varepsilon_i u_i= n(n- 2) u^{N-1}_i\) converges uniformly to \(0\) on \(M\) when \(\varepsilon_i\to 0\) and the (unique) solution of this equation for \(\varepsilon_i\) small and i large is determined. The method of moving-planes, developed by Gidas, Ni and Nirenberg, is used in a part of the paper.