Positive solutions to indefinite Neumann problems when the weight has positive average (Q321516)

The authors study the existence of positive solutions to the Neumann problem associated to the equation \[ u''+q(t) g(u) =0, t\in [0,T], \] where \(q \in L^1(0,T)\) and \(g:[0,+\infty) \to\mathbb R\) is a \(C^1\)-function satisfying \(g(0)=0\) and \(g(u)>0\) for every \(u>0\). It is further assumed that there exists \(R>0\) such that \(g'(u)<0\) for every \(u>R\) and \(\lim_{u \to +\infty} g'(u)=0\); moreover, there exists \(r<0\) such that \(g'(u)>0\) for every \(0<u<r\) and \(\lim_{u \to + 0^+} g'(u)=0\). Finally, writing the weight \(q(t)=\lambda a^+(t)-\mu a^-(t)\) (\(\int_0^T a^+(t) dt, \int_0^T a^-(t) dt >0\)), it is required that there exists \(\tau\in [0,T]\) such that \(a(t) \geq 0\) for a.e. \(t \in [0,\tau]\) and \(a(t) \leq 0\) for a.e. \(t \in [\tau,T]\). In order to state the main result, define, for any \(\lambda\), \[ \mu_0(\lambda)= \dfrac{\lambda \int_0^T a^+(t) dt }{\int_0^T a^-(t) dt}. \] Under the above assumptions, it is proved that for any \(\lambda >0\) there exist \(\mu_-(\lambda), \mu_+(\lambda) >0\), with \(\mu_-(\lambda)<\mu_0(\lambda)<\mu_+(\lambda)\) such that the given BVP has at least one positive solution for \(\mu=\mu_0(\lambda)\) and at least two positive solutions for any \(\mu \in ]\mu_-(\lambda),\mu_+(\lambda)[\) different from \(\mu_0(\lambda)\). Moreover, there is \(\lambda^*>0\) (depending only on \(g\) and \(a^+\)) such that for \(\lambda > \lambda^*\) it results \(\mu_+(\lambda)=+\infty\). The proof is performed using a dynamical argument relying on an elementary (but refined) shooting method. The paper contains several interesting comments on non-existence issues, on the role of the parameter \(\lambda\) and on the possibility of tackling the given problem with variational methods. Finally, some consequences of the main result are stated for increasing nonlinearities and for the study of the existence of periodic and radially symmetric solutions.