On the number of solutions of a Duffing equation (Q1178989)

The author considers the boundary value problem \(u''(x)+\lambda u(x)- \beta u^ 3(x)=h(x)\), \(x\in[0,L]\), \(u'(0)=u'(L)=0\), where \(\lambda\), \(\beta\) and \(L\) are positive real constants and \(h\in C^ 1([0,L])\). Suppose \(\tau:=\max_{x\in[0,L]}| h(x)|\) and \(\beta=1\); and denote by \(0=\lambda_ 1<\lambda_ 2<\lambda_ 3<\cdots\) the eigenvalues of the second order differential operator \(Du=-u''\) provided with the above conditions. The following theorem is proved: Suppose \(n\in\mathbb{N}\). If \(\lambda_ n<\lambda<\lambda_{n+1}\), then there exist exactly \(2n+1\) solutions of the problem for sufficiently small values of \(\tau\). Many examples are given and discussed, with the bifurcation diagrams relative to the special case \(h(x)=\tau\cos\omega x\), \(\beta=1\) and \(L=\pi\).