On ground state solutions of \(-\Delta{} u=u^ p-u^ q\) (Q1183243)

The authors show existence and uniqueness of radially symmetric solutions of the problem \[ -\Delta u=u^ p-u^ q,\;u>0\text{ in }\mathbb{R}^ n,\quad u(x)=O(| x|^{2-n})\text{ as } x\to\infty. \] Here \(n\geq 3\), \(q>p>(n+2)/(n-2)\). Furthermore they give an estimate for \(u(0)\). In order to prove their result, the authors introduce new variables: \(t=\left({n- 2\over| x|}\right)^{n-2}\), \(y(t)=u\bigl(| x|\bigr)\). So the original problem is transformed into \[ y''+t^{-(2n-2)/(n-2)}(y^ p-y^ q)=0,\;y>0\text{ for } t>0, \tag{1} \] \[ y(t)\sim\alpha t\;\text{ for some } \alpha>0,\text{ as } t\to 0,\quad (3)\;\lim_{t\to\infty}y(t)\;\text{ exists and is finite }, \lim_{t\to\infty}y'(t)=0. \tag{2} \] The singular initial value problem (1), (2) is carefully studied in dependence on \(\alpha\). It is shown that there is precisely one choice of \(\alpha>0\), such that the unique solution of (1), (2) exists globally and also satisfies (3). The existence is proved by means of a shooting argument. The uniqueness proof, which is the hardest part of the paper, employs some techniques of \textit{M. K. Kwong} [Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 105, No. 3, 243-266 (1989; Zbl 0676.35052)].