Multiple positive solutions for semilinear elliptic equations in Esteban-Lions domains with holes (Q2568566)

This paper makes a contribution to the study of the effect of domain topology on the solution structure of the subcritical semilinear elliptic problem \[ - \Delta u + u = | u| ^{p-2}u \qquad \text{in}\qquad \Omega \] for \(u \in H^1_0(\Omega)\), where \(\Omega \subseteq \mathbb{R}^N\) is an unbounded domain and where \(n > 1, \;\;2 < p < 2^* \). To describe the domains under consideration, denote by \(B(a; r)\) the open ball with radius \(r\) and center \(a \in \mathbb{R}^n\). The domain \[ S^+ := \{ (x,y) \in \mathbb{R}^{n-1} \times \mathbb{R} | \; | x| < r_0, \; y > 0\} \cup B(0; r_0) \] (\(r_0 > 0\) given) does not admit any non-trivial solutions according to a result of \textit{M. J. Esteban} and \textit{P.-L. Lions} [Proc. R. Soc. Edinb., Sec A, 93, 1--14 (1982; Zbl 0506.35035)]. Wu proves the existence of \(m\) distinct positive solutions for domains \(\Omega_t\) which arise from \(S^+\) by deleting \(m\) balls, i. e. \[ \Omega_t := S^+ \setminus \bigcup_{j=1}^m \overline{B ((0, jt); \tilde{r})}\;, \] where \(0 < \tilde{r} < r_0\) and \(t > 2 \tilde{r}\) has to be large enough. The proof is based on minimization under the Nehari constraint, the solutions arising as local minima of the energy functional on carefully chosen open subsets of the Nehari surface.