The eigenvalue problem for a one-dimensional differential operator with a variable coefficient and nonlocal integral conditions (Q406624)

The authors study the eigenvalue problem \[ \begin{gathered} \frac{d}{dx}\Bigl(p(x)\frac{du}{dx}\Bigr)+\lambda u=0,\;x \in (0,1),\\ u(0) =\gamma_1 \int^{1}_{0} u(x)\, dx, \quad u(0) =\gamma_2 \int^{1}_{0} u(x)\,dx, \end{gathered} \] where the function \(p\) is positive and \(\gamma_1\) and \(\gamma_2\) are parameters. In particular, the authors discuss some conditions for the existence of the eigenvalue \(\lambda=0\). These criteria involve symmetry or monotonicity properties of the function \(p\). The authors illustrate, via numerical experiments, that some differences occur in the spectra of Dirichlet and nonlocal conditions in relation to the monotonicity properties of the function \(p\).