New nonlinear equations with soliton-like solutions (Q5953688)

This paper considers critical points of \(E(\varphi)=\int_{{\mathbb{R}}^3} [{1\over 2} (|\nabla\varphi|^2+|\Delta\varphi|^2)+V(\varphi)]dx\), where \(\varphi\) takes values in \({\mathbb{R}}^4\); they yield traveling waves for a system of coupled nonlinear wave equations. One assumes that (i) there is a \(\bar{\xi}\in{\mathbb{R}}^4\) such that \(|\xi|=1\), and \(V\) is of class \(C^1\) on \({\mathbb{R}}^4\setminus\{\bar{\xi}\}\); (ii) \(V\geq V(0)=0\); (iii) 0 is a non-degenerate minimum; (iv) \(V(\xi)\geq c |\bar{\xi}-\xi|^6\). Since \(\varphi\) must not take the value \(\bar{\xi}\), one can define a local degree (``charge'') which enables the author to obtain solutions by minimizing over the set of functions with non-zero charge. The argument uses a form of concentration-compactness, and relies on the methods of \textit{V. Benci, D. Fortunato} and \textit{L. Pisani} [Rev. Math. Phys. 10, 315-344 (1998; Zbl 0921.35177)].