Singular nonlinear boundary value problem arising in boundary layer theory (Q1289049)

The authors discuss the existence and nonexistence of a problem which arises in boundary-layer theory in fluid mechanics, namely \[ f'''+ ff''+\lambda(1- [f']^2)= 0,\quad 0< x<\infty,\quad f(0)= f'(0)= 0,\quad f'(\infty)= 1.\tag{\(*\)} \] The main idea (and this is nice) is to transform the problem to the singular second-order problem \[ w''= -\lambda\Biggl({1- t^2\over w}\Biggr)-{t\over w},\quad 0\leq t<1,\quad w'(0) w(0)= -\lambda,\quad w(1)= 0.\tag{\(**\)} \] Existence and nonexistence of \((**)\) is discussed and the results are used to discuss \((*)\).