Asymptotic behavior of positive solutions of equation \(\Delta{} u+K(x)u^ p=0\) in \(\mathbb{R}{}^ n\) (Q1183249)

The asymptotic behaviour of positive radial solutions to the semilinear elliptic equation \[ \Delta u+K(| x |)u^ p=0 \quad \text{ in }\mathbb{R}^ n \] is investigated. It is assumed that \(n \geq 3\), \(p>1\), \(K \geq 0\) and that \(K\) behaves like \(| x |^ l\), \(l \in \mathbb{R}\), at infinity. The ``fast decay case'' \(l<-2\) was studied by \textit{Y. Li} and \textit{W.-M. Ni} [Duke Math. J. 57, No. 3, 895-924 (1988; Zbl 0674.53048)]. So the present paper concentrates on the ``slow decay case'' \(l>-2\), the borderline case \(l=-2\) is treated, too. It was pointed out e.g. by Li, Ni [loc. cit.], that in the case \(l>-2\) there are two critical exponents, which determine the asymptotic behaviour of any solution, namely \(m:=(2+l)/(p-1)\) and \(n-2\). These studies are continued in the present paper. Under the additional assumption \(m \in(0,(n-2))\backslash \left\{{1 \over 2}(n-2)\right\}\) and some monotonicity condition on \(| x |^{- l}K(| x |)\) (which is different for \(m<{1 \over 2}(n-2)\) and \(m>{1 \over 2}(n-2))\) it is shown, that \(u\) behaves precisely like a multiple either of \(| x |^{-m}\) or of \(| x |^{2-n}\). I.e. \(\lim_{| x | \to \infty}| x |^ mu(| x |)\) always exists, if it is equal to 0, then \(\lim_{| x | \to \infty}| x |^{n-2}u(| x |)\) exists and is in \((0,\infty)\). Moreover it is explained that the case \(m={1 \over 2}(n-2)\) is very delicate. For \(m \in \bigl(0,{1 \over 2}(n-2)\bigr)\) asymptotic expansions of \(u\) at infinity are developed. E.g. if \(m \in \bigl({1 \over 2}(n-2)- \varepsilon,{1 \over 2}(n-2)\bigr)\), \(\varepsilon=\varepsilon(n,p)\), and \(\lim_{| x | \to \infty}| x |^ mu(| x |)\neq 0\), then \[ u(| x |)=| x |^{-m}\left(\lim_{| y | \to \infty}| y |^ mu(| y |)\right)+C| x |^{-(n-2)/2}\sin(\omega_ 1+\omega \log | x |)+O(| x |^{m-(n-2)}) \] at infinity; \(C,\omega,\omega_ 1\) are suitable constants. An analogous series of results is presented for the borderline case \(l=- 2\).