On the number of positive solutions for nonhomogeneous semilinear elliptic problem (Q1916347)

The paper deals with the problem of multiplicity of positive solutions of the Dirichlet problem \[ - \Delta u+ \lambda u= |u|^{p- 2} u+ h\quad \text{in} \quad \Omega,\quad u= 0\quad \text{on} \quad \partial\Omega\tag{1} \] in terms of \(\text{cat } \Omega\) (the Lyusternik-Schnirelman category of \(\overline\Omega\) in itself), where \(\Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^N\), \(N\geq 3\), is a bounded domain, \(\lambda\geq 0\), \(h\in L^2(\Omega)\), \(h\geq 0\) and \(h\not\equiv 0\), and \(2< p< 2^*= 2N/(N- 2)\). It is shown that there exists a function \(\overline \lambda: (2, 2^*)\to [0, + \infty)\) such that for all \(\lambda\geq \overline \lambda(p)\) problem (1) admits at least \(\text{cat } \Omega+ 1\) distinct positive solutions. Moreover, if \(\text{cat } \Omega> 1\), then the number of distinct positive solutions is at least \(\text{cat } \Omega+ 2\). In particular, for an uncontractible domain \(\Omega\), problem (1) has at least four distinct positive solutions. The method of the proof exploits the Lyusternik-Schnirelman theory of critical points which was also used in some earlier papers by Benci, Cerami, Passaseo, Candela, the first author et al. for the case \(h\equiv 0\) in \(\Omega\).