Focal points of nonlinear equations - a dynamical analysis (Q1092300)

The problem under study is the even order, semilinear equation (E) \(x^{(2n)}=f(t,x(t)),\) with (2k,2n-2k) focal point boundary conditions (1) \(x^{(i)}(\alpha)=0\), \(0\leq i\leq 2k-1\), \(x^{(i)}(\beta)=0\), 2k\(\leq i\leq 2n-1\). Equation (E) can be represented in the form of a second order system \(X''=F(t,X)\), \(X=(Y,Z)\), where Y is a vector in \(R^ k\), and Z a vector in \(R^{n-k}\). This representation allows trajectories to be analyzed by a topological method based on Sperners lemma. The main result is of a type which shows the relation between the non-existence of solutions to certain two point boundary value problems (e.g. disconjugacy, disfocality), and the existence of monotone solutions having prescribed asymptotic behaviour. Specifically, if \(xf(t,x)>0\) for \(x\neq 0\), then: For each k, \(1\leq k\leq n-1\), either there exists a (2k,2n-2k) focal point trajectory satisfying conditions (1), or else there exists a (2k,2n-2k) focal asymptotic trajectory, satisfying the asymptotic conditions (2) \(x^{(i)}(\alpha)=0\), \(0\leq i\leq 2k-1\), \((- 1)^ ix^{(i)}(t)>0\), 2k\(\leq i\leq 2n-1\), for \(t>\alpha\). If in addition to (2) the condition \(\lim_{t\to \infty}x^{(2k)}(t)=0\) is satisfied, then \(\beta =\infty\) is called a (2k,2n-2k) focal point of \(\alpha\). If equation (E) is sublinear or superlinear, it is shown that the condition (10) \(\int^{\infty}f(S,\epsilon S^{2k})ds=\infty\), for all \(\epsilon >0\), is sufficient for the existence of a (2k,2n-2k) focal point at \(\infty\).