Sign preservation for a function of two variables (Q1335924)

Given a real-valued function \(f(x,y)\) of two variables, put \(f_x (y) = f(x,y)\) for each fixed \(x\). The author obtains conditions that are necessary and sufficient for \(f(x,y)\) to preserve its sign in a neighborhood of a point, provided it is known that all the functions \(f_x (y)\) are sign-preserving. In this respect, the following concepts and notations are used. Let \(E\) be a set and let \(\{\lambda\}_E\) be a family of functions on \(E\). Suppose that the operator \(M\), \(M (\lambda) = \tau\), is given over \(\{\lambda\}_E\), \(\lambda \in \{\lambda\}_E\) and \(\tau \in \{\tau\}\). A cover of \(E\) is defined as any collection \(\{\omega\}\) of sets \(\omega \subset E\) whose union coincides with \(E\). The operator \(M\) is said to be quasimonotone with respect to a cover \(\{\omega\}\) of \(E\) if from the inequality \(\lambda_1 (x) > \lambda_2 (x)\) holding for all \(x\)'s in some nonempty set \(\omega \in \{\omega\}\) it follows that \(M (\lambda_1) \neq M (\lambda_2)\) [\textit{Yu. E. Anikonov}, ``Some Methods for the study of multidimensional inverse problems for differential equations'' (Russian), Nauka, Novosibirsk (1978)]. Quasimonotonicity of an operator on a certain class of functions implies its injectivity and, consequently, uniqueness of a solution to the inverse problem. The results of the present article ensure quasimonotonicity for a number of differential operators on essentially broader function classes. Some results obtained by Anikonov (op. cit.) are generalized here.