Oscillation theorems for fourth-order partial difference equations (Q597224)

Let \(\Delta _1, \Delta _2\) be the partial difference operators defined for \(u:\mathbb{N}\times \mathbb{N}\to \mathbb{R}\) by \(\Delta _1u_{m,n}= u_{m+1,n}- u_{m,n}\), \(\Delta _2 u_{m,n}=u_{m,n+1}-u_{m,n}\), and let \(\Delta ^k_i= \Delta _i(\Delta ^{k-1}_i)\), \(i=1,2\). The authors consider the fourth-order partial difference equation \[ \begin{gathered} \Delta _2(\alpha_n\Delta _2 u_{m,n-1})+\beta_{n-1}\Delta _2 u_{m,n-1}+ \gamma_n \Delta _1^4 A_0(n;u)u_{m-2,n} \\ - \delta_n \Delta _1^2(A(m-1,n;u)+b(m,n;u_{m,n}))u_{m,n}=0, \end{gathered} \tag{*} \] together with the boundary condition \[ u_{0,n}=u_{M+1,n}=0,\quad \Delta ^2_1u_{-1,n}=\Delta ^2_1 u_{M,n}=0, \quad \forall n\in \mathbb{N}, \] where \(M\in \mathbb{N}\), \(\alpha_,\beta_n,\gamma_n>0\) and \(A_0,A,b\) are (generally) nonlinear functions depending of the indicated arguments. Comparing (*) with a certain ordinary second order difference equation, conditions on quantities appearing in (*) are given which guarantee that every nontrivial solution of (*) oscillates.