Symmetry and nodal properties in the global bifurcation analysis of quasi-linear elliptic equations (Q802851)

Let q: \({\mathbb{R}}^ 2\times {\mathbb{R}}\to {\mathbb{R}}^ 2\) and f: \({\mathbb{R}}^ 2\times {\mathbb{R}}\times {\mathbb{R}}\to {\mathbb{R}}\) be sufficiently smooth functions. Consider the partial differential equation \(\nabla \cdot q(\nabla u,u)+f(\nabla u,u,\lambda)=0\), for real-valued functions u defined on a rectangle \(\Omega \subset {\mathbb{R}}^ 2\) and subject to Dirichlet boundary conditions \(u=0\) on \(\partial \Omega\). The matrix \((\partial q_ i/\partial v_ j)(v,u)\), \(i,j=1,2\), is supposed to be positive-definite for all \((v,u)\in {\mathbb{R}}^ 2\times {\mathbb{R}}\) and \(\lambda\) is a control parameter. Under physically motivated requirements on the parity of q and f and under mathematically convenient assumptions, the authors prove the existence of nontrivial, global solution branches bifurcating from the eigenvalues of the linearized problem. Then they show that such branches are globally separated and unbounded. The first result is established combining the group-theoretic approach of the first author [SIAM J. Math. Anal. 19, No.4, 824-840 (1988; Zbl 0664.34052)] with recent refinements of a theorem of \textit{P. H. Rabinowitz} [J. Funct. Anal. 7, 487-513 (1971; Zbl 0212.165)]. The second one is based, among other things, on a subtle minimum principle, which includes Hopf boundary lemmas at smooth boundaries and corners. The authors discuss also the possibility of generalizing their methodology to other standard homogeneous boundary conditions.