On strongly indefinite systems involving the fractional Laplacian (Q2349017)

In this paper, the author considers the system of PDEs \[ (-\Delta)^su=v^p\text{ and }(-\Delta)^sv=u^q, \] in a smooth bounded domain \(\Omega\subseteq\mathbb{R}^{n}\). Here, the operator \((-\Delta)^s\) is the fractional Laplacian. In addition, the boundary conditions \[ u=v=0,\, x\in\partial\Omega, \] are imposed, together with the interior condition \(u>0\), \(v>0\) for \(x\in\Omega\). It should be noted that in the above it holds that \(0<s<1\) with \(p>1\), \(q>1\). The author studies the existence and nonexistence of a solution for the above system of PDEs. As part of this program, the author considers {a priori} estimates for the solutions of the problem \[ (-\Delta)^su=f(u),\;x\in\Omega, \] subject to \(u>0\) in \(\Omega\) and \(u=0\) on \(\partial\Omega\); here, some growth assumptions are imposed on \(f\). Once these initial estimates are established, then the original problem is studied. Several results are provided, an example of which is the following: Suppose that \(p\) and \(q\) satisfy \(\frac{1}{p+1}+\frac{1}{q+1}>\frac{n-2s}{n}\). With \(\alpha>0\) and \(\beta>0\) such that \(\frac{1}{2}-\frac{1}{q+1}<\frac{\alpha}{n}\), \(\frac{1}{2}-\frac{1}{p+1}<\frac{\beta}{n}\), and \(\alpha+\beta=2s\), it follows that the system of PDEs above has at least one positive solution \((u,v)\in H_0^{\alpha}(\Omega)\times H_{0}^{\beta}(\Omega)\). All in all, the paper is well written and should be of value to those whose interests intersect nonlinear PDE theory, particularly where elliptic operators as well as the fractional Laplacian is concerned.