Entire solutions of the nonlinear eigenvalue logistic problem with sign-changing potential and absorption (Q1424065)

This paper is devoted to the study of the nonlinear eigenvalue logistic problem with sign-changing potential and absorption. More precisely, the author studies the existence, uniqueness or non-existence of positive solutions of the eigenvalue problem \[ - \Delta u = \lambda\left(V(x)u - f(u)\right) \quad\text{in \({\mathbb R}^N\)}, \] where \(N \geq 3\), \(\lambda\) is a real parameter, \(V(x)\) is a smooth sign-changing potential and \(f(u)\) is an absorption term such that the function \(f(u)/u\) is increasing in the interval \((0,\infty)\). Equations of this type arise in population dynamics. In this case, the unknown function \(u(x)\) represents the density of a population, the potential \(V(x)\) describes the birth rate of the population, while the term \(-f(u)\) signifies the fact that the population is self-limiting. In the region where \(V(x) > 0\) the population has positive birth rate and in the region where \(V(x) < 0\) the population has negative birth rate, respectively. In this paper the author proves that there exists a bifurcation non-negative number \(\Lambda\) such that the eigenvalue problem has exactly one solution if \(\lambda > \Lambda\), but no such solution exists if \(\lambda \leq \Lambda\).