A Dirichlet problem on the half-line for nonlinear equations with indefinite weight (Q509562)

The authors study existence results for the boundary value problem on the half-line \[ \begin{aligned} & (a(t)x')'+b(t)F(x)=0,\quad t\geq 0,\\ & x(0)=0,\;x(t)>0,\;t>0, \;\lim_{t \to \infty}x(t)=0, \end{aligned} \] where \(a\) is positive, continuous and \(\int_0^\infty\frac{ds}{a(s)}<\infty\); \(F(0)=0\), \(F\) is differentiable on \([0,\infty)\), with \(0\leq F'\leq1\), \(k_0=F'(0^+)\neq k_1=\lim_{u\to\infty}\frac{F(u)}{u}\); the function \(b\) is continuous on \([0,\infty)\), nonnegative in \([0,1]\), and may change sign for \(t\geq1\), being bounded above by a number \(B\). Moreover \(b\not\equiv0\) for \(0\leq t\leq 1\). The main result asserts that there exists a solution to the above problem provided: (1) the differential equation \[ v''+\frac{B}{a(t)}v=0 \] is disconjugate on \([1,+\infty[\), and (2) certain estimates involving the numbers \(k_0,\,k_1\) and integrals of \(b\) and \(\frac{1}{a}\) are satisfied. Furthermore, the solution satisfies a certain integrability condition at \(+\infty\). The main argument is topological, and relies in constructing two connected sets in the plane that have nonempty intersection. The first (a continuum) consists of initial conditions at \(t=1\) for solutions to the problem in the compact interval \([0,1]\). It is constructed on the basis of results by \textit{K. Lan} and \textit{J. R. L. Webb} [J. Differ. Equations 148, No. 2, 407--421, Art. No. DE983475 (1998; Zbl 0909.34013)]. The second set consists of initial conditions at \(t=1\) for solutions to the problem in \([1,\infty[\). These solutions are obtained on the basis of results by \textit{M. Cecchi} et al. [Nonlinear Anal., Theory Methods Appl. 9, 171--180 (1985; Zbl 0563.34018)], relying also on disconjugacy theory and the use of principal solutions.