Classification and evolution of bifurcation curves of semipositone problem with Minkowski-curvature operator and its applications (Q6540599)

The author studies the bifurcation curves of the two-point problem \N\[-\left(\frac{u'}{\sqrt{1-u'^2}}\right)'=\lambda f(u),\quad u(-L)=0=u(L)\tag{1}\] \Nwhere \(f\) is \(C^2\) in \((0,\infty)\) and crosses the \(x\)-axis from the lower to the upper half-plane at a unique point \(\beta>0\), and its primitive \(F(u)=\int_0^uf(s)\,ds\) also exhibits such a crossing at a point \(\eta\). Moreover \(f\) is allowed a variety of behaviours near \(u=0\). The bifurcation curves of (1), \N\[S_L=\{(\lambda,\|u_\lambda\|_\infty)\mid \lambda>0 \text{ and } u_\lambda \text{ is a positive solution of (1)} \}\] \Nare classified (in an almost self-explanatory way) into \textit{monotonic increasing}, \textit{\(\subset\)-shaped} or \textit{\(S\)-like shaped }according to their shape in the positive quadrant of the plane. The last two types may exhibit turning points.\N\NThe main results are the following:\N\NThe bifurcation curve \(S_L\) exists only for \(L>\eta\). Then it is possible to describe the type, location and starting points of the curve \(S_L\), by assuming the negativity of the limits of \(f(u)/u^\alpha\) as \(u\to0\), for \(\alpha=1\), \(\alpha\in(0,1)\), \(\alpha=-1/3\) or \(\alpha\in(-1,-1/3)\), together with assumptions about the sign of the number \N\[G=\int_0^\eta\frac{-\eta f(\eta)-2F(u)+uf(u)}{[-F(u)]^{3/2}}du.\] \NMore specific information is obtained (namely, about the turning point \((\lambda_L, \|u_L\|)\) as a function of \(L\)) under either one of the assumptions \((a)\) \(f''(u)<0\) \(\forall u>0\) or \((b)\) \(f''(u)>0\) \(\forall u>0\).\N\NThe paper examines closely some examples: \(f(u)=-Ku^{-r}+u^w+u^z\) where \(K>0,\;r,\,w\in(0,1)\) and \(z>1\); \(f(u)=u^\tau-c\) where \(\tau>0\), \(\tau\neq1\) and \(c>0\); \(f(u)=u^\tau-1/\sqrt{u}\) where \(\tau=0\) or \(\tau=1\); \(f(u)=u(u^\tau-1)\) where \(\tau>0\).\N\NThis research is partially motivated by earlier work of the author, see [\textit{S.-Y. Huang}, J. Differ. Equations 264, No. 9, 5977--6011 (2018; Zbl 1390.34051)].