On the extremal parameters curve of a quasilinear elliptic system of differential equations (Q1783752)

Do there exist positive solutions to the system of equations involving \(p\)-Laplace operators \[ -\Delta_p u = \lambda |u|^{p-2}u + \alpha f |u|^{\alpha-2} |v|^{\beta} u, \] \[ -\Delta_q v = \mu |v|^{q-2}v + \beta f |u|^{\alpha} |v|^{\beta-2} v, \] \( (u,v) \in W_0^{1,p}(\Omega) \times W_0^{1,p}(\Omega)\), on a smooth bounded domain? There are additional assumptions on \(f, \alpha\), and \(\beta\). A solution is understood as a critical point of the energy functional \[ \Phi_{(\lambda,\mu)}(u,v) = \frac{1}{p} ( \| \nabla u \|_p^p - \lambda \| u \|_p^p ) + \frac{1}{q} ( \| \nabla v \|_q^q - \mu \| v \|_q^q ) + \int_\Omega f |u|^\alpha |v|^\beta \text{ d} x, \] and such a solution is understood as positive when both \(u > 0\) and \(v > 0\). From earlier results [\textit{V. Bobkov} and \textit{Y. Il'yasov}, Electron. J. Differ. Equ. 2013, Paper No. 212, 21 p. (2013; Zbl 1290.35081); Complex Var. Elliptic Equ. 61, No. 5, 587--607 (2016; Zbl 1342.35100)], [\textit{Y. Bozhkov} and \textit{E. Mitidieri}, in: Contributions to nonlinear analysis. A tribute to D. G. de Figueiredo on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Basel: Birkhäuser. 115--134 (2006; Zbl 1131.35319)] it is known that there exist critical values \(\lambda_1, \mu_1\) such that the following are true: 1. If \(\lambda < \lambda_1\) and \(\mu < \mu_1\), then there exists a positive solution with positive energy. 2. There exists a curve \(\gamma^*\) in the \((\lambda,\mu)\)-space which, together with the half-lines \(\{(\lambda_1,\mu); \mu > \mu_1\}\) and \(\{(\lambda,\mu_1); \lambda > \lambda_1\}\), determines a bounded region of the parameter space where there exists at least one positive solution with negative energy. Under suitable conditions, the authors find a curve in the parameter space for which there exists a positive solution of zero energy, and give conditions for the energy functional to be bounded from below or unbounded from below over the Nehari manifold, i.e., the set where the derivative of the energy functional vanishes. Furthermore, the region defined by \(\gamma^*\) can be extended slightly to the direction of \(\gamma^*\) by another region, where there exists a positive solution of negative energy.