A Morse index formula for radial solutions of Lane-Emden problems (Q1678153)

The author considers the Lane-Emden problem \[ \begin{cases} - \Delta u = |u|^{p-1}u & \text{in} \;B, \\ u = 0 & \text{on} \;\partial B, \end{cases} \] where \(B\) is the unit ball of \(\mathbb R^N\), \(N\geq3\), centered at the origin, and \(1<p<p_S:=(N+2)/(N-2)\). It is proved that, for each radial solution \(u_p\) with \(m\) nodal domains, its Morse index \(\mathsf m(u_p)\) is given by the formula \[ \mathsf m(u_p) = m + N(m-1) \] if \(p\) is sufficiently close to \(p_S\).