A note on the strong maximum principle (Q2355432)

In this paper, the authors give a necessary and sufficient condition for the validity of strong maximum principle for the operator \(Lu=-u''+cu\) in one space dimension. The proof is based on the classical Jacobi method of multiplicative variation, which relies on the construction of a proper solution \(U\) of the equation \[ U''+c=0\text{ in }I, \] where \(I\subseteq\Omega\) is a bounded interval. This solution is a supersolution of the problem \[ -u''+cu,\text{ in }I\quad u=0,\text{ on }\partial I . \] The main assumptions are the followings: \(\Omega\subseteq R\) is a nonempty open interval; \(c:\Omega\to R\) is measurable, and \(c\geq0\) a.e. in \(\Omega\).