Radial symmetry of positive solutions for semilinear elliptic equations in the unit ball via elliptic and hyperbolic geometry (Q652483)

The authors consider the problem \[ \begin{cases} \Delta u + f(|x|, u) = 0 &\text{in \(B\)},\\ u = 0 &\text{on \(\partial B\)}, \end{cases} \tag{1} \] in the open unit ball \(B = \{\, x \in \mathbb R^n : |x| < 1 \,\}\), \(n \geq 2\). Let \(u\) be any positive strong solution to~(1). Thus, \(u \in W^{2,n}_{\text{loc}}(B) \cap C^0(\overline B)\) and the equation in~(1) holds almost everywhere. The authors prove that if the product \((1 + ar^2)^{(n + 2)/2} \, f(r, \, (1 + ar^2)^{-(n + 2)/2} \, u)\) is nonincreasing in~\(r\) for each \(u \in (0, +\infty)\) and for some constant \(a \in (-1,0) \cup (0,1]\), and if \(f(r,u)\)~satisfies a suitable Lipschitz continuity condition with respect to~the variable~\(u\), then the solution~\(u\) is radially symmetric. If, furthermore, \(u \in C^1(B)\), then \(((1 + ar^2)^{(n - 2)/2} \, u)_r < 0\) for \(r = |x| \in (0,1)\). When \(a = 0\), the result follows from the celebrated result by \textit{B. Gidas}, \textit{W.-M. Ni} and \textit{L. Nirenberg} [Commun.\ Math.\ Phys.\ 68, 209--243 (1979; Zbl 0425.35020)]. For the proof of the case \(a \neq 0\), the function \(\nu (x) = (1 + a |x|^2)^{(n - 2)/2} \, u(x)\) is introduced, and the unit ball~\(B\) is endowed with a suitable Riemannian metric~\(g\) depending on~\(a\). Totally geodesic planes~\(T_\lambda\) with respect to the metric~\(g\) are considered. Then, the proof uses the method of moving planes. More precisely, the function~\(\nu\) is compared to its reflection with respect to~\(T_\lambda\). Comparison follows from the Aleksandroff-Bakelman-Pucci inequality and the strong maximum principle, after an elliptic inequality has been established. Here, the Laplace-Beltrami operator with respect to the metric~\(g\) comes into play. As a further application, the case when \(B\) is replaced by the punctured ball \(B \setminus \{0\}\) and \(u\) has a singularity at the origin is investigated.