The index bundle and bifurcation from infinity of solutions of nonlinear elliptic boundary value problems (Q497963)

At the attempts to apply either Cacciopoli's oriented degree or the Leray-Schauder continuation principle to families of \(C^k\)-Fredholm maps parametrized by a topological space \(\Lambda\) with the aim to obtain a priori estimates of the solution and existence theorems obstructions arise. The reviewed article is devoted to the discussion of these obstructions and their relevance to bifurcation from infinity for solutions of nonlinear elliptic boundary value problems. In this article, the author uses his previous results [Topol. Methods Nonlinear Anal. 18, No. 2, 243--267 (2001; Zbl 1033.58021)] together with some results about the degree of \(C^k\)-Fredholm maps from [\textit{P. M. Fitzpatrick} and the author, Mem. Am. Math. Soc. 483, 131 p. (1993; Zbl 0788.35047)] to obtain three criteria for bifurcation from infinity for solutions of general nonlinear elliptic boundary value problems depending on parameters. First it is considered the case as the parameter space \(\Lambda\) is a sphere of the dimension \(4s\). The cohomological form of the Atiyah-Singer family index theorem gives nontrivial results only on these dimensions. Further, nonlinear elliptic systems are parametrized by compact orientable manifolds, where the bifurcation results are attained by restrictive the problem to the sphere embedded in \(\Lambda\) and the usage of the author's previous results. At last, the systems parametrized by projective spaces of even dimensions follow, where the previous approach does not work.