Connected component of positive solutions for singular superlinear semi-positone problems (Q2179272)

The investigation of positive solutions to a semi-linear elliptic problem in an exterior doman leads to the following singular boundary value problem: \[ \left\{ \begin{array}{rll} -u''+\lambda h(t)f(u(t)),\quad t\in(0,1),\\ u(0)=0,\quad u'(1)+c(u(1))u(1)=0, \end{array} \right. \] where \(h\) may have a singularity at \(0\) whereas \(f\) is continuous and super-linear at positive infinity. The author assumes further that \[ \limsup\limits_{s\to 0^+}f(s)\in[-\infty,0) \] and proves the existence of connected set of positive solutions. The proofs are based on Ambosetti bifurcation theory and use differential inequalities and analysis of the spectrum of singular linear eigenvalue problems.