On eigenfunctions with sign definite components in weakly coupled linear elliptic systems (Q1262458)

We consider the system \[ (*)\quad Lu=\lambda (m_{11}u+m_{12}v),\quad Lv=\lambda (m_{21}u+m_{22}v)\quad in\quad \Omega;\quad u=0=v\quad on\quad \partial \Omega, \] where \(\Omega \subseteq {\mathbb{R}}^ n\) is a bounded domain with smooth boundary, L is a second-order uniformly strongly elliptic operator of the form \[ Lw=- \sum^{n}_{i,j=1}a_{ij}(x)w_{x_ ix_ j}+\sum^{n}_{i=1}b_ i(x)w_{x_ i}+c(x)w, \] with \(a_{ij}=a_{ji}\), \(c\geq 0\), and coefficients in \(C^{\alpha}({\bar \Omega})\) for some \(\alpha\in (0,1)\), and \(m_{ij}(x)>0\) on \({\bar \Omega}\), \(m_{ij}\in C^{\alpha}({\bar \Omega})\), for \(i,j=1,2\). We focus on two types of solutions to (*): the first, with \(u>0\), \(v>0\) and the second, with \(u<0<v\). The first type is guaranteed to exist by positive operator theory. We estimate the ratio u/v in terms of the functions \(m_{ij}\), \(i,j=1,2\). For the second type, we consider the question of existence of such solutions, and develop sufficient conditions on \(M=(m_{ij})_{i,j=1,2}\). We also demonstrate the algebraic relationship of the \(m_{ij}\) has a very strong influence on whether solutions with \(u<0<v\) exist.