No label defined (Q4523717)

Let \(p>1\), \(p\neq 2\), and \(\Omega\subset {\mathbb R}^N\) denote a bounded domain with smooth boundary. The authors investigate a four-parameter bifurcation problem involving \(p\)-Laplacians of the form \[ -\Delta_pu=a\varphi_p(u)+b\varphi_p(v)+f(a,\varphi_p(u),\varphi_p(v)), \] \[ -\Delta_pv=c\varphi_p(u)+d\varphi_p(v)+g(d,\varphi_p(u),\varphi_p(v)), \] where \(a\), \(b\), \(c\), \(d\) are the bifurcation parameters, \(f\), \(g\) satisfy typical growth conditions at ``0 and \(\infty\)'', \(\Delta_ pu:=\text{div}(|\nabla u|^{p-2}\nabla u)\) and \(\varphi_p(s):=|s|^{p-2}s\). It is established that bifurcation points are necessary eigenvalues (eigenvalue problem \(f\equiv 0\equiv g\)), and conditions are given which ensure the existence of bifurcation points from which topologically four-dimensional continua of nontrivial solutions emanate. Ingredients are a well-known bifurcation theorem by \textit{J. C. Alexander} and \textit{S. S. Antman} [Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal. 76, 339-354 (1981; Zbl 0479.58005)] and the Leray-Schauder degree.