Multiplicity results for a superlinear Dirichlet problem (Q921249)

Consider the Dirichlet problem \(-\Delta v=f(v^+)+\lambda v+t\phi_ 1\) in B, \(v=0\) on \(\partial B\), where B is the unit open ball in \({\mathbb{R}}^ N\), \(N\geq 2\). Here \(\phi_ 1\) is a positive eigenfunction corresponding to the first eigenvalue \(\mu_ 1\) of -\(\Delta\) on \(H^ 1_ 0(B)\); denote by \(0<\mu_ 1<...<\mu_ k<..\). the other eigenvalues. The function f: \({\mathbb{R}}_+\to {\mathbb{R}}\) is locally Lipschitzian, \(f(0)=0\) and satisfies \(\lim_{s\to +\infty}f(s)/s=+\infty\). Under these assumptions the authors obtain the following multiplicity result: Theorem. If \(\lambda \in (\mu_ k,\mu_{k+1})\), \(k\geq 1\), then the above Dirichlet problem has at least \(k+1\) distinct radial solutions for each \(t\geq 0\). If \(\lambda <\mu_ 1\), then we have at least one radial solution for each \(t\leq 0.\) Another result states that under additional assumptions on the growth of f, we have at least two times more distinct radial solutions than in the above theorem. For the case \(N=1\), a similar result is obtained. The proofs use bifurcation arguments together with a priori estimates for certain classes of solutions of Dirichlet problem.