Perturbation results for an anisotropic Schrödinger equation via a variational method (Q1581099)

Consider the problem \[ -\varepsilon^2\text{div}(A(x)\nabla u)+ u=|u|^{p-1} u,\quad x\in\mathbb{R}^n\quad\text{and}\quad u\to 0\text{ as }|x|\to \infty\tag{1} \] with the usual conditions on \(p\). \(A(x)\) is a symmetric matrix with measurable and bounded coefficients verifying \(\lambda|\xi|^2\leq (A(x)\xi,\xi)\leq \Lambda|\xi|^2\), and \(A(0)= I\). By scaling \(x= \varepsilon x\) problem (1) becomes \[ -\Delta u+ u-|u|^{p-1} u-\text{div}(B(\varepsilon x)\nabla u)= 0\quad\text{and}\quad u\to 0\text{ as }|x|\to\infty,\tag{2} \] where \(B(x)= A(x)-I\). Let \(f_\varepsilon\) be the energy functional of (2), defined on \(H^1(\mathbb{R}^n)\). The unperturbed functional \(f_0\) has a manifold \(Z\) of critical points obtained by translating its unique positive radial solution \(z_0\in H^1(\mathbb{R}^n)\). Under suitable assumptions on \(B\) the authors show the existence of one-peak [resp. two-peaks] solutions of (1). Their argument is a variational perturbative method, already used by \textit{A. Ambrosetti}, \textit{M. Badiale} and \textit{S. Cingolani} [Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 140, No. 3, 285-300 (1997; Zbl 0896.35042)], in the case of isotropic nonlinear Schrödinger equations. These one-peak [resp. two-peaks] solutions are critical points of \(f_\varepsilon\) constrained on a suitable manifold \(Z_\varepsilon\) [resp. \(Y_\varepsilon\)]. \(Z_\varepsilon\) is constructed from \(Z\), whereas the construction of \(Y_\varepsilon\) starts with a manifold of approximate critical points which are not critical points of the unperturbed problem. It is mentioned that the existence of solutions of (1), with finitely many peaks, can be proved in the same way.