A generalized anti-maximum principle for the periodic one-dimensional \(p\)-Laplacian with sign-changing potential (Q2267569)

The paper investigates the problem \[ (\phi_p(u'))'+\mu(t)\phi_p(u)=h(t),\quad u(0)=u(T),\;u'(0)\geq u'(T),\tag{1} \] and provides conditions for the validity of a strong anti-maximum principle. Unlike previous results the potential \(\mu(t)\) in (1) need not be nonnegative for a.e. \(t\in [0,T]\). Note that problem (1) fulfils an anti-maximum principle if, for each \(h\in L_1[0,T]\) such that \(h\geq 0\) on \([0,T]\), any solution of (1) is nonnegative on \([0,T]\). If moreover, the positive mean value \(\bar h\) implies that each solution of (1) is positive on \([0,T]\), problem (1) fulfils a strong anti-maximum principle. Here, \(\phi_p(y)=|y|^{p-2}y\) for \(y\in R\) stands for the \(p\)-Laplacian with \(1<p<\infty\). For \(1\leq \alpha \leq \infty\) and \(x\in L_\alpha[0,T]\) the symbol \(\|x\|_{\alpha}\) means the usual integral or supess norm of \(x\). Further, \(\alpha^*\) is the conjugate of \(\alpha\). For \(1\leq \beta\leq \infty\), the symbol \(K(\beta, p)\) denotes the best Sobolev constant \(C\) in the inequality \(C\|u\|^p_\beta\leq\|u'\|^p_p\) for all \(u\in W_0^{1,p}[0,T]\). The main result: Let \(\mu\in L_\alpha[0,T]\) for some \(\alpha\in [1,\infty]\), let \(\bar \mu\geq 0\) and \(0<\|\mu_+\|_\alpha\leq K(p\alpha^*,p)\). Then problem (1) fulfils the strong anti-maximum principle.