On nonlinear problems of mixed type: A qualitative theory using infinite- dimensional center manifolds (Q1199668)

(From the author's summary:) We consider the equation \(a(y)u_{xx}+\text{div}_ y(b(y)\nabla_ y u)+c(y)u=g(y,u)\) in the cylinder \((-\ell,\ell)\times\Sigma\), being elliptic where \(b(y)>0\) and hyperbolic where \(b(y)<0\). We construct selfadjoint realizations in \(L_ 2(\Sigma)\) of the operator \(Au=(1/a)\text{div}_ y(b\nabla_ y u)+(c/a)\) in the case of \(b\) changing sign. This leads to the abstract problem \(u_{xx}+Au=g(u)\), where \(A\) has a spectrum extending to \(+\infty\) as well as to \(-\infty\). For \(\ell=\infty\) it is shown that all sufficiently small solutions lie on an infinite-dimensional center manifold and behave like those of a hyperbolic problem. An \(x\)- independent cross-sectional integral \(E=E(u,u_ x)\) is derived showing that all solutions on the center manifold remain bounded for \(x\to\pm\infty\). For finite \(\ell\), all small solutions \(u\) are close to a solution \(\tilde u\) on the center manifold such that \(\| u(x)-\tilde u(x)\|_ \Sigma\leq Ce^{-\alpha(\ell-| x|)}\) for all \(x\), where \(C\) and \(\alpha\) are independent of \(u\). Hence, the solutions are dominated by hyperbolic properties, except close to the terminal ends \(\{\pm\ell\}\times\Sigma\), where boundary layers of elliptic type appear.