Eigenvalues for semilinear boundary value problems (Q2640122)

An eigenvalue problem \((1)\quad g'(u)=\rho u\) with a Fréchet differentiable functional g on a Hilbert space H is considered. Set \(S_ t=\{u\in H;\quad \| u\|^ 2=t\},\quad \gamma (t)=\sup_{u\in S_ t}g(u).\) It is proved that if g(u) and \((g'(u),u)\) are weakly continuous then the right and left derivatives \(\gamma '_{\pm}(t)\) exist for each \(t>0\) and \(0\leq \gamma '_ -(t)\leq \gamma '_+(t)\). If \(\gamma '_+(t)\neq 0\) or \(\gamma '_ -(t)\neq 0\) then there is \(u\in S_ t\) satisfying (1) with \(\rho =2\gamma '_+(t)\) or \(\rho =2\gamma '_ - (t)\), respectively, and \(g(u)=\gamma (t)\). Under some stronger assumptions, also any \(\rho\) satisfying \(2\gamma '_ -(t)<\rho <\gamma '_+(t)\) is an eigenvalue of (1). The case \(\gamma '_ -(t)<\gamma '_+(t)\) really can occur. Applications of the general results to semilinear boundary value problems \(\rho Au=f(x,u)\) are given, where A is a selfadjoint operator corresponding to an elliptic boundary value problem.