Half-linear Sturm-Liouville problem with weights (Q2428779)

The authors consider the following half-linear equation of \(p\)-Laplacian type \[ (\rho(t) |u'(t)|^{p-2}u'(t))' + \lambda \sigma(t) |u(t)|^{p-2}u(t)=0, \quad t\in (a,b),\tag{1} \] subject to the Neumann-Dirichlet boundary conditions \[ \lim_{t\to a+} \rho(t)|u'(t)|^{p-2}u'(t)=\lim_{t\to b-} u(t)=0.\tag{2} \] Here, \(p>1\) is a real number, \(-\infty \leq a<b\leq +\infty\), and \(\rho,\sigma: (a,b)\to (0,+\infty)\) are continuous functions. It is also assumed that \(\sigma \in L^1(a,x)\) and \(\rho^{1-q}\in L^1(x,b)\) for every \(x\in (a,b)\), where \(\frac{1}{p}+\frac{1}{q}=1\). Definition. Problem (1)--(2) has the (S.L.) property if the following conditions are satisfied.{\parindent=8mm \begin{itemize}\item[(i)] The set of eigenvalues of (1)--(2) forms an increasing sequence \(\{\lambda_n\}_1^\infty\) such that \(\lambda_1>0\) and \(\lim_{n\to\infty}\lambda_n=+\infty\).\item[(ii)]Eeach eigenvalue is simple in the sense that all eigenfunctions associated with an eigenvalue \(\lambda_n\) are mutually proportional.\item[(iii)] The eigenfunction \(u_{\lambda_n}\) associated with \(\lambda_n\) has precisely \(n-1\) zeros in \((a,b)\) and, moreover, the zero points of \(u_{\lambda_{n-1}}\) separate the zero points of \(u_{\lambda_{n}}\) whenever \(n\geq 3\). \end{itemize}} The main result of the paper under review is the following theorem. Theorem. Problem (1)--(2) has the (S.L.) property if and only if \[ \lim_{t\to a+} \Big( \int_a^t \sigma(\tau) d\tau\Big)\Big( \int_t^b \rho^{1-q}(\tau) d\tau\Big)^{p-1}=0, \] and \[ \lim_{t\to b-} \Big( \int_a^t \sigma(\tau) d\tau\Big)\Big( \int_t^b \rho^{1-q}(\tau) d\tau\Big)^{p-1}=0. \]