Nonlinear eigenvalue problems and bifurcation for quasi-linear elliptic operators (Q2120551)

This paper deals with the nonlinear eigenvalue Dirichlet problem \[ \begin{cases} -\Delta u-\Delta_pu =\lambda u, \ \ \ &\text{in} \ \ \Omega,\\ u=0 &\text{on} \ \ \partial\Omega, \end{cases}\tag{P} \] where \(\Omega\subset \mathbb{R}^N\) \((N\geq 2)\) is a bounded smooth domain and \(p\in (1,2)\cup (1,\infty)\). By means of variational methods, the authors show that the set of the ``first eigenvalues'' of problem (P), that is, the eigenvalues whose corresponding eigenfunctions are not sign-changing, is exactly the open interval \((\lambda_1^{D},\infty)\), where \(\lambda_1^{D}\) is the first eigenvalue of the Laplacian on \(\Omega\). The authors also prove that any weak solution of problem (P) belongs to \(L^\infty(\Omega)\) and, as a consequence, they derive the \(C^{1,\alpha}\)-regularity of all eigenfunctions. As additional results, it is proved the simplicity of each first eigenvalue \(\lambda\in (\lambda_1^{D},\infty)\) and that the pair \((\lambda_k^{D},0)\) (resp. \((\lambda_k^{D},\infty)\) ) is a bifurcation point for problem (P) provided that \(\lambda_k^{D}\) is an eigenvalue of the Laplacian on \(\Omega\) with odd multiplicity and \(p>2\) (resp. \(1<p<2\)). Moreover, if \(1<p<2\) and \(\lambda_k^{D}\) is of odd multiplicity, the authors also show that the pair \((\lambda_k^{D},0)\) is a bifurcation point for the nonlocal problem \[ \left\{\begin{array}{ll} -\Delta u-\lambda \left(\int_\Omega |\nabla u|^2dx\right)^{2-\frac{p}{2}}\Delta_pu =\lambda u, \ \ \ &\text{in} \ \ \Omega,\\ u=0 &\text{on} \ \ \partial\Omega. \end{array}\right. \] Finally, for \(\lambda \in (\lambda_k^{D},\lambda_{k+1}^{D})\), the existence of at least \(k\) pairs of nontrivial solutions to problem \((P)\) is proved via variational methods and Krasnoselski genus.