Elliptic equations with singularity on the boundary. (Q1854076)

Positive solutions of the nonlinear elliptic problem \(-\Delta u (x)=K(x)(1-| x| )^{-\alpha }u^\beta (x)\) on the unit ball \(B\), with zero boundary values, are studied. \(K\) is a nonnegative continuous function on \(\overline B\), positive on \(\partial B\). If \(K\) is radially symmetric, \(0<\alpha <(\beta +1)/2+1\), and \(1<\beta <(N+2)/(N-2)\), then there is at least one radially symmetric positive classical solution of the problem. On the other hand, if \(1<\beta +1\leq \alpha \), then there does not exist any positive classical solution. The proofs use new methods based on the mountain pass lemma (the existence part) and Pohozaev's identity (the nonexistence part).