On variational methods to a generalized Emden-Fowler equation (Q987441)

The author considers the following periodic quasi-linear problem \[ (g(t)|u'|^{p-2}u')'+\lambda|u|^{p-2}u=\nabla F(t,u)\quad \text{a. e. }t\in[0,T], \] \[ u(0)=u(T),\;\;g(0)^{q-1}u'(0)=g(T)^{q-1}u'(T), \] where \(g\) is a bounded function with positive essential infimum, \(p\geq2\), \(q\) is the conjugate exponent of \(p\), and \(F\) is \(L^1\)-Catathéodory. The approach is variational, solutions being identified with critical points of a \(C^1\)-functional in the subspace of \(W^1(0,T;\,{\mathbb R}^n)\) consisting of \(T\)-periodic functions. On the basis of assumptions on the behaviour of \(F(t,\cdot)\) at \(u=0\) and at infinity (including assumptions on \(pF(t,u)-(\nabla F(t,u)\cdot u\)) the existence of a solution is proved via the mountain pass theorem (for \(\lambda<0\)), the saddle theorem (for \(\lambda\in (\lambda_0/2,\lambda_0)\)) or minimization (if \(\lambda\) is sufficiently small). Here, \(\lambda_0\) is the inf of the quotient \(\frac{\int_0^Tg(t)|x'(t)|^p\,dt}{\int_0^T|x(t)|^p\,dt}\), where \(x\in W^1(0,T;\,{\mathbb R}^n)\), \(x\) is \(T\)-periodic and \(\int_0^Tx(t)\,dt=0\).