Existence and non-existence results for the \(SU(3)\) singular Toda system on compact surfaces (Q265895)

The very interesting paper under review deals with the \(\mathrm{SU}(3)\) singular Toda system on a compact surface \((\Sigma,g)\): \[ \begin{cases} -\Delta u_1=2\rho_1\left(\dfrac{h_1 e^{u_1}}{\int_\Sigma h_1 e^{u_1}\;dV_g}-1\right) -\rho_2\left(\dfrac{h_2 e^{u_2}}{\int_\Sigma h_2 e^{u_2}\;dV_g}-1\right)-4\pi \sum_{m=1}^M \alpha_{1m}(\delta_{p_m}-1),\\ -\Delta u_2=2\rho_2\left(\dfrac{h_2 e^{u_2}}{\int_\Sigma h_2 e^{u_2}\;dV_g}-1\right) -\rho_1\left(\dfrac{h_1 e^{u_1}}{\int_\Sigma h_1 e^{u_1}\;dV_g}-1\right)-4\pi \sum_{m=1}^M \alpha_{2m}(\delta_{p_m}-1), \end{cases} \] where \(\Delta=\Delta_g\) is the Laplace--Beltrami operator, \(\rho_i\) are positive parameters, \(h_i\) are smooth positive functions on \(\Sigma\), \(p_m\) are given points of \(\Sigma\) and \(\alpha_{im}>-1\). The authors obtain both existence and non-existence results under suitable conditions on the parameters \(\rho_i\) and \(\alpha_{im}\). In particular, the existence is proved by means of variational methods involving a geometric inequality of new type, whereas the non-existence results are obtained using blow-up analysis and localized Pohožaev-type identities.