On the existence of large solutions for equations of prescribed mean curvature (Q4259699)

From the introduction. This paper deals with some equations of prescribed mean curvature. More precisely, we investigate the following problem: \[ \begin{cases} Mu= f(u)k(|\nabla u|)\quad\text{in }\Omega,\\ \lim_{\delta(x)\to 0} u(x)= +\infty,\end{cases}\tag{1} \] where \(\delta(x)= \text{dist}(x,\partial\Omega)\), \(\Omega\) is a bounded domain in \(\mathbb{R}^N\), \(N\geq 2\), and \(Mu(x)/N\) is the mean curvature of the graph of \(u\) at \(x\), i.e. \[ Mu:= \text{div}\Biggl({\nabla u\over \sqrt{1+|\nabla u|^2}}\Biggr). \] The function \(f\in C^1((t_0, +\infty))\) is supposed to be positive, and to satisfy \(f'(t)\geq 0\) \(\forall t> t_0\). If \(t_0\) is finite we require also \(f(t^+_0)= 0\), if \(t_0=-\infty\) we require instead \[ \int^t_{-\infty} f<+\infty \] for finite \(t\). In both cases the function \(F(t):= \int^t_{t_0} f\), which plays an essential role in the existence theory, is well-defined. The examples to think about are of course \(f(t)= t^p\), \(p>0\), \(t_0= 0\), and \(f(t)= e^t\), \(t_0=-\infty\). The function \(k\) is of class \(C^1([0, +\infty))\) and positive for \(t\geq 0\). In case \(N>1\) we show that \(f\) must tend to \(+\infty\) and that \(k\) must satisfy \(\liminf k(t)= 0\) as \(t\to+\infty\) for the well-posedness of the problem. In particular, the equation of capillarity \(Mu=\kappa u\) has no radially symmetric large solutions. We find an integral condition on \(f\) and \(k\) that suffices to have existence in spheres of any given radius. By the comparison principle, this provides an a priori upper bound for problem (1) in a general domain. Roughly speaking, our condition requires that \(f\) grows to \(+\infty\) faster than \(k\) goes to zero, and it is necessary for the existence in any domain \(\Omega\) in case \(f\) and \(1/k\) are of polynomial growth.