Multiplicity of positive solutions for a class of elliptic equations in divergence form (Q2496691)

We prove results concerning the existence and multiplicity of positive solutions for the quasilinear equation \[ \begin{cases} -\text{div} (a(\varepsilon x) |\nabla u|^{p-2}\nabla u|) + |u|^{p-2}u = f(u)\quad \text{ in }\mathbb R^N,\\ u\in W^{1, p} (\mathbb R^N), u(x) >0 \quad \text{ for all } x\in\mathbb R^N, \end{cases} \] where \(2\leq p< N\), \(a\) is a positive potential and \(f\) is a superlinear function. We relate the number of solutions with the topology of the set where a attains its minimum. The results are proved by using minimax theorems and Ljusternik--Schnirelmann theory.