Multiple solutions for second-order Hamiltonian systems via computation of the critical groups (Q5940171)

The author investigates the existence of \(2\pi\)-periodic solutions of the second order Hamiltonian system \(\ddot u+\nabla_u H(t,u)=0\). Here \(H\in{\mathcal{C}}^2(\mathbb R\times \mathbb R^N,\mathbb R)\) is \(2\pi\)-periodic in \(t\) with \(\nabla_u H(t,0)\equiv 0\). He assumes that \(\nabla_u H\) is asymptotically linear, i.~e.\ \(\nabla_u H(t,u)=B_\infty(t)u+o(|u|)\) as \(|u|\rightarrow\infty\) for some \(2\pi\)-periodic continuous family \(B_\infty(t)\) of symmetric \(N\times N\)-matrices. It is allowed that the system is resonant at \(0\) and at \(\infty\), in particular the operator \(u\mapsto\ddot u+B_\infty(t) u\) on \(H^1(S^1)\) may have a nontrivial kernel. The author obtains the existence of at least one or two nontrivial \(2\pi\)-periodic solutions under various sign and growth conditions on the behaviour of \(\nabla_u H(t,u)-B_\infty(t)u\) as \(|u|\rightarrow\infty\), and of \(\nabla_u H(t,u)-\nabla^2_u H(t,0)u\) as \(|u|\rightarrow 0\). The proofs are based on variational methods, in particular on the computation of the critical groups at \(\infty\) using the angle condition introduced by S.~Li and the reviewer [Nonlinear Anal., Theory Methods Appl. 28, 419-441 (1997; Zbl 0872.58018)].