On a nonlinear eigenvalue problem arising from climate modeling (Q4374262)

The equation \[ Lu +cu=\mu f(u) \] is considered on the interval \(I=(0,1),\) where \(L\) is the Legendre operator \(-\frac{d}{dx}((1-x^2)\frac{d}{dx}),\) \(c\) is a positive constant and \(f\) is given by \[ f(y)=\alpha(\tanh \beta (y-y^{\ast})+\gamma), \] for \(y\in \mathbb{R}\), with constants \(\alpha >0\), \(\beta >0\), \(\gamma >1\), \(y^{\ast}>0\). The author is interested in the structure of the set \(\Sigma\) of all pairs \((\mu, u)\), where \(\mu \in \mathbb{R}^+\) and \(u\in C^2(I)\cap C(\bar I)\) is a nonnegative classical solution. A bifurcation analysis is given. Some spatially inhomogeneous perturbations of the initial equation are discussed.