Sign-changing solutions and multiplicity results for elliptic problems via lower and upper solutions (Q1049601)

This paper deals with the nonlinear elliptic equation \[ \begin{cases}-\Delta u= f(x,u) &\text{in } \Omega,\\ u=0 &\text{on } \partial \Omega. \end{cases} \] where \(\Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^N\) is a smooth bounded domain and \(f(x,u)\) satisfies certain smoothness conditions. Under appropriate growth conditions on \(f(x,u)\) at \(u=0\) and \(u=\pm\infty\), the author proves the existence of multiple nonzero solutions. One of the results is as follows. Theorem. Let \(\lambda_k\) be the \(k\)th eigenvalue of \(-\Delta\) on \(H_0^1(\Omega)\). Assume \(f\in C^1(\overline{\Omega}\times \mathbb{R})\) and (i) there exist \(p\), \(q\), \(k\geq 2\) and \(\delta>0\) such that for a.e. \(x\in \Omega\) and all \(u\in [-\delta,\delta]\setminus \{0\}\), \[ \lambda_k<p\leq {f(x,u)\over u}\leq q<\lambda_{k+1}; \] (ii) there exist \(\mu<\lambda_1\) and \(R>0\) such that for a.e. \(x\in \Omega\) and all \(u\geq R\), \[ {f(x,u)\over u}\leq \mu; \] (iii) there exist \(a<0<b\) and \(R'>0\) such that for a.e. \(x\in \Omega\) and all \(u\leq -R'\), \[ a\leq {f(x,u)\over u}\leq b. \] Then the equation has at least three nontrivial solutions, one positive and two sign-changing.