Multiplicity and concentration results for a \((p, q)\)-Laplacian problem in \(\mathbb{R}^N \) (Q2026461)

The authors use variational arguments and Ljusternik-Schnirelmann category theory to study the problem: \[ -\operatorname{div} \left(\left|\nabla u\right|^{p-2} \nabla u\right)-\operatorname{div}\left(\left|\nabla u\right|^{q-2} \nabla u\right)+V(\varepsilon x) \left(\left| u\right|^{p-2} u+\left| u\right|^{q-2} u\right)=f(u)\text{ in }\mathbb{R}^N,\] with \(u \in W^{1,p}(\mathbb{R}^N)\cap W^{1,q}(\mathbb{R}^N)\), \(u>0\) in \(\mathbb{R}^N\), \(\varepsilon > 0\), \(1 < p < q < N\), \(V:\mathbb{R}^N \to \mathbb{R}\) and \(f:\mathbb{R} \to \mathbb{R}\). Let \(M_\delta=\{x \in \mathbb{R}^N: \mathrm{dist}(x,M)\leq \delta \}\) for \(\delta>0\), where \(M=\{x \in \mathbb{R}^N : V(x)=V_0 \}\) with \(V_0:=\inf_{x \in \mathbb{R}^N}V(x)\) and \(V\) is a continuous potential satisfying a global Rabinowitz condition [\textit{P. H. Rabinowitz}, Z. Angew. Math. Phys. 43, No. 2, 270--291 (1992; Zbl 0763.35087)]. The authors show that for any \(\delta>0\) there is \(\varepsilon_\delta>0\) such that, for any \(0<\varepsilon <\varepsilon_\delta\), the problem admits at least \(\mathrm{cat}_{M_\delta}(M)\) (i.e., the Ljusternik-Schnirelmann category of \(M\) in \(M_\delta\)) positive solutions, provided that \(f\) has some regularity. They also give some features of these solutions. The result is based on precise comparisons between the category of some sublevel sets of the energy functional associated with the problem and the category of the set \(M\).