Positivity results for indefinite sublinear elliptic problems via a continuity argument (Q2013905)

The paper is focused on the existence of positive solutions for the problems \[ \begin{cases} -\Delta u=a(x)f(u),\text{ in }\Omega,\\ u=0,\text{ on }\partial\Omega,\end{cases}\leqno(1) \] and \[ \begin{cases} -\Delta u=a(x)u^q,\text{ in }\Omega,\\ \frac{\partial u}{\partial \nu}=0,\text{ on }\partial\Omega,\quad 0<q<1,\end{cases}\leqno(2) \] where \(\Omega\) is a bounded and smooth domain of \(\mathbb{R}^N\) with \(N\geq 1\), \(\nu\) is the outward unit normal to \(\partial \Omega\), the function \(a\in L^r(\Omega)\) changes sign, with \(r>N\), and \(f:[0,\infty)\to [0,\infty)\) is continuous and sublinear such that \(f(s)>0\) for \(s>0\). By using a continuity argument combined with variational techniques, the sub- and super-solutions method, and some a priori bounds, the authors show that every nontrivial nonnegative solution of \((1)\) and \((2)\) belongs to the sets \[ {\mathcal P}_D^0=\big\{u\in C_0^1(\overline{\Omega}),\, u>0\,\text{in }\Omega,\,\frac{\partial u}{\partial \nu}<0\,\text{ on }\partial \Omega\big\}\quad\text{and}\quad {\mathcal P}_N^0=\big\{u\in C^1(\overline{\Omega}),\,\,u>0\,\,\text{on}\,\,\overline{\Omega}\big\}, \] respectively. The existence, uniqueness and nonexistence of solutions in \({\mathcal P}_D^0\) for problem \((1)\), and in \({\mathcal P}_N^0\) for problem \((2)\), are also discussed. Some applications of the main theorems to indefinite concave-convex-type problems are finally presented.