Sign changing bubbling solutions for a critical Neumann problem in 3D (Q2007495)

Let \(\Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^3\) be a smooth bounded domain and let \(\lambda>0\) be a positive parameter. The author considers the critical Neumann problem \[ \begin{cases} \Delta u-\lambda u+|u|^4u=0 &\text{in }\Omega, \\ \frac{\partial u}{\partial \nu}=0 &\text{on }\partial\Omega, \end{cases}\tag{\(P_\lambda\)} \] and, for \(\lambda_0>0\) and for \(k\) distinct points \(\zeta_1^0,\dots,\zeta_k^0\in \Omega\), gives conditions in order to problem \((P_\lambda)\) admits a sign changing solution concentrating around \(\zeta_1^0,\dots,\zeta_k^0\), \ as \(\lambda \rightarrow \lambda_0\). In particular, if \(\lambda_0\) and \(\zeta^0=(\zeta_1^0,\dots,\zeta_k^0)\) are as above, the author proves the following result: For each \(\lambda>0\) and \(x\in \Omega\), consider the Green function \(G_\lambda(x,y)\) defined by \[ \begin{cases} -\Delta_y G_\lambda+\lambda u=\delta_x, &\text{in } \Omega, \\ \frac{\partial G_\lambda}{\partial \nu}=0 &\text{on } \partial\Omega, \end{cases} \] and let \(g_\lambda\) be the Robin function of \(G_\lambda\). Also, for each \(k\)-uple \(\zeta=(\zeta_1,\dots,\zeta_k)\) of pairwise distinct points of \(\Omega\), define \(\psi_\lambda(\zeta)=\text{det}(M_\lambda(\zeta))\), where \(M_\lambda(\zeta)\) is the \(k\times k\)-matrix with entries \(a_{ii}=g_\lambda(\zeta_i)\) and \(a_{ij}=-G_\lambda (\zeta_i,\zeta_j)\), for all \(i,j\in \{1,\dots,k\}\), with \(i\neq j\). Assume that: \begin{itemize} \item[(i)] \(0\) is a simple eigenvalue of \(M_{\lambda_0}(\zeta^0)\), and there exists an associated eigenvector \((v_1,\dots,v_k)\) such that \(v_i\neq 0\) for all \(i=1,\dots,k\); \item[(ii)] \(D_\zeta\psi_\lambda (\zeta^0)=0\); \item[(iii)] \(D^2_{\zeta\zeta}\psi_\lambda (\zeta^0)\) is non-singular; \item[(iv)] \(\frac{\partial \psi_\lambda }{\partial \lambda}\mid_{\lambda=\lambda_0}(\zeta^0)\neq 0\). \end{itemize} Then, for \(\varepsilon>0\) small and for at least one of the numbers \(\lambda=\lambda_0+\varepsilon\) or \(\lambda=\lambda_0-\varepsilon\), problem \((P_\lambda)\) admits a solution \(u\) of the form \[ u(x)=\sum_{j=1}^k \frac{3^{\frac{1}{4}}\mu_j^{\frac{1}{2}}sign(v_j)}{(\mu_j+|x-\zeta_j|)^{\frac{1}{2}}}+O(\varepsilon^{\frac{1}{2}}), \] where \(O(\varepsilon^{\frac{1}{2}})\) is independent of \(x\in \Omega\), \(\mu_j=O(\varepsilon)\), and \(\zeta_j\rightarrow \zeta_j^0\), as \(\varepsilon\rightarrow 0\). The author applies this result to show that there exist \(a_0\in (0,1)\) and \(\lambda_0>0\) such that, for \(a\in (a_0,1)\) and \(\varepsilon>0\) small, problem \((P_{\lambda_0+\varepsilon})\) in the annulus \(\Omega = \{x\in \mathbb{R}^3: a_0<|x|<1\}\) has a sign changing solution with \(2\) antipodal bubbles.