An eigenvalue problem for hemivariational inequalities with combined nonlinearities on an infinite strip (Q2572173)

The main goal of the present paper is to develop a new approach to treat elliptic eigenvalue problems on domains of the form \(\Omega=\omega\times \mathbb R\), where \(\omega\) is a bounded open set in \(\mathbb R^m\) with smooth boundary, in contrast to the work of \textit{G.~R.\ Burton} [Math.~Z.\ 190, 519--525 (1985; Zbl 0561.35034)]. Let \(F: \Omega\times \mathbb R\to \mathbb R\) be a Carathéodory function that is locally Lipschitz in the second variable and let \(a\in L^1(\Omega)\cap L^{\infty}(\Omega)\) with \(a\geq 0\), \(a\not\equiv 0\), and \(q\in (1,2)\). Consider the following variational-hemivariational inequality problem \((P_{\lambda})\): \[ \begin{aligned} \int_{\Omega}\triangledown u(x) & \cdot\triangledown(v(x)-u(x))\, dx\;+\int_{\Omega}F^{\circ}(x,u(x);-v(x)+u(x))\,dx\\ & \geq\;\lambda\int_{\Omega}a(x)| u(x)|^{q-2}u(x)(v(x)-u(x))\,dx\qquad\text{ for all }v\in {\mathcal K},\end{aligned} \] where \({\mathcal K}\) is a closed convex cone in the Sobolev space \(H_0^1(\Omega)\) in the sense of \textit{P.~L.\ Lions} [J.\ Funct.\ Anal.\ 49, 315--334 (1982; Zbl 0501.46032)]. Here, \(F^{\circ}(x,s;t)\) stands for the generalized directional derivative of \(F(x,\cdot)\) at the point \(s\in\mathbb R\) in the direction \(t\in\mathbb R\). It is proved that, under suitable assumptions on the nonlinearity \(F\), there exists a positive real number \(\lambda_0\) such that problem \((P_{\lambda})\) has at least two nontrivial solutions \(u_{\lambda}^1, u_{\lambda}^2\) in \({\mathcal K}\), for each \(\lambda\in (0,\lambda_0)\). The main method is to use the critical point theory for locally Lipschitz functions which are perturbed by convex, proper and lower semicontinuous functionals, developed by \textit{D.~Motreanu} and \textit{P.~D.\ Panagiotopoulos} [``Minimax theorems and qualitative properties of the solutions of hemivariational inequalities'' (Nonconvex Optimization and Its Applications 29, Kluwer, Dordrecht) (1999; Zbl 1060.49500)]. More precisely, every critical point of the following functional \({\mathcal J}_{\lambda}: H_0^1(\Omega)\to \mathbb R\) given by \[ {\mathcal J}_{\lambda}(u)=\;\frac{1}{2}\int_{\Omega} | \triangledown u(x)| ^2\, dx - \int_{\Omega} F(x,u(x))\, dx - \;\frac{\lambda}{q} \int_{\Omega} a(x) | u(x)| ^q\,dx \;+ \;\psi_{\mathcal K}(u) \] is a solution of problem \((P_{\lambda})\), where \(\psi_{\mathcal K}\) is the indicator function of the set \(\mathcal K\). The first critical point \(u_{\lambda}^1\) of \({\mathcal J}_{\lambda}\) is constructed by a version of the celebrated Mountain Pass Theorem which has originated from \textit{A.~Ambrosetti} and \textit{P.~H.\ Rabinowitz} [J.\ Funct.\ Anal.\ 14, 349--381 (1973; Zbl 0273.49063)], and the existence of the second critical point \(u_{\lambda}^2\) is established by the variational principle of \textit{I.~Ekeland} [J.\ Math.\ Anal.\ Appl.\ 47, 324--353 (1974; Zbl 0286.49015)]. Thus, two nontrivial solutions of \((P_{\lambda})\) are obtained.