Research article

Positive weak solutions for heterogeneous elliptic logistic BVPs with glued Dirichlet-Neumann mixed boundary conditions

  • Received: 15 December 2022 Revised: 05 March 2023 Accepted: 13 March 2023 Published: 28 March 2023
  • MSC : 35B09, 35B35, 35B40, 35J25, 35J65

  • This article concerns the existence of positive weak solutions of a heterogeneous elliptic boundary value problem of logistic type in a very general annulus. The novelty of this work lies in considering non-classical mixed glued boundary conditions. Namely, Dirichlet boundary conditions on a component of the boundary, and glued Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions on the other component of the boundary. In this paper we perform a complete analysis of the existence of positive weak solutions of the problem, giving a necessary condition on the λ parameter for the existence of them, and a sufficient condition for the existence of them, depending on the λ-parameter, the spatial dimension N2 and the exponent q>1 of the reaction term. The main technical tools used to carry out the mathematical analysis of this work are variational and monotonicity techniques. The results obtained in this paper are pioners in the field, because up the knowledge of the autor, this is the first time where this kind of logistic problems have been analyzed.

    Citation: Santiago Cano-Casanova. Positive weak solutions for heterogeneous elliptic logistic BVPs with glued Dirichlet-Neumann mixed boundary conditions[J]. AIMS Mathematics, 2023, 8(6): 12606-12621. doi: 10.3934/math.2023633

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  • This article concerns the existence of positive weak solutions of a heterogeneous elliptic boundary value problem of logistic type in a very general annulus. The novelty of this work lies in considering non-classical mixed glued boundary conditions. Namely, Dirichlet boundary conditions on a component of the boundary, and glued Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions on the other component of the boundary. In this paper we perform a complete analysis of the existence of positive weak solutions of the problem, giving a necessary condition on the λ parameter for the existence of them, and a sufficient condition for the existence of them, depending on the λ-parameter, the spatial dimension N2 and the exponent q>1 of the reaction term. The main technical tools used to carry out the mathematical analysis of this work are variational and monotonicity techniques. The results obtained in this paper are pioners in the field, because up the knowledge of the autor, this is the first time where this kind of logistic problems have been analyzed.



    This work is devoted to analyze the existence of positive weak solutions of the following heterogeneous elliptic logistic boundary value problem with mixed and glued Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions given by

    {Δu=λua(x)uqinΩ,q>1,u=0onΓ0,u=0onΓD1,u=0onΓN1, (1.1)

    where the following assumptions are assumed:

    i) The domain Ω is a bounded domain of RN, N2 of class C2, with boundary Ω=Γ0Γ1, where Γ0 and Γ1 are two disjoint components of Ω and Γ1=ΓD1ΓN1, being ΓD1 and ΓN1 two connected pieces, open and closed respectively as N1 dimensional manifolds, such that ΓD1=ΓN1ΓN1;

    ii) Δ stands for the minus Laplacian operator in RN and λR;

    iii) The potential aC(ˉΩ), with a>0, measures the spatial heterogeneities in Ω and satisfies that

    Ω0:=int{xΩ:a(x)=0}0,Ω0C2,
    Ω0=Γ1Γ00,Γ00:=Ω0Ω,dist(Γ00,Γ1)>0.

    Set Ω+:=ΩˉΩ0.

    iv) u=uˉn, where ˉn is the outward normal vector field to Ω.

    Figure 1 shows a possible configuration of the domain Ω, its boundary Ω=Γ0ΓD1ΓN1 and the boundary conditions in each piece of the boundary.

    Figure 1.  Configuration of Ω and Ω=Γ0ΓD1ΓN1.

    The positive solutions of (1.1) are the positive steady-states of the associated evolutionary problem given by

    {tv(x,t)Δv(x,t)=λv(x,t)a(x)v(x,t)qinΩ×R,q>1,v(x,t)=0onΓ0×R,v(x,t)=0onΓD1×R,v(x,t)=0onΓN1×R,v(x,0)=v0(x)>0inΩ, (1.2)

    which describes the dynamics of the positive solutions of many reaction-diffusion problems appearing in the applied sciences and engineering. In population dynamics, (1.2) describes the dynamics of a population inhabiting a heterogeneous environment Ω, growing accordingly with a generalized logistic law. From this point of view, v(x,t) stands for the population density, Δv(x,t) is the diffusion term, λ is the growth rate of the population and a(x) measures the saturation effect responses to the population stress in Ω+. As for the boundary conditions, the homogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition on Γ0ΓD1 means that Γ0ΓD1 are hostile regions, and the homogeneous Neumann boundary condition on ΓN1 guarantees no migration or null flux of population through ΓN1. The different boundary conditions considered in (1.1) and (1.2) may be due to a heterogeneous distribution of the natural resources through the boundary or close to the boundary. The analysis of the positive solutions of (1.1) is crucial to have a complete understanding of the long time behavior of the positive solutions of (1.2). Also, the analysis of the existence of positive weak solutions of (1.1) is pivotal in the study of the asymptotic behavior as γ of the strong positive solutions of heterogeneous logistic elliptic boundary value problems with nonlinear mixed boundary conditions like the following

    {Δu=λua(x)uqinΩ,q>1,u=0onΓ0,u=γburonΓ1,r>1, (1.3)

    where bC(Γ1) with b>0 on Γ1 and

    ΓN1=b1(0),ΓD1=b1((0,bL(Γ1)]),

    which stand for again the positve steady-states of the associated parabolic problem with nonlinear flux on Γ1. In this kind of problems, when λ belongs to a suitable interval, the limiting profile of the strong positive solutions when γ, is a positive weak solution of (1.1), as it will be proved elsewhere. The proof of this fact is out the scope of this work.

    Although we have assumed throughout this paper that Γ1 splits in two connected pieces ΓD1 and ΓN1, the results of this work may be generalized in a natural way to cover the case when Γ1 splits in 2k connected pieces {ΓD1i,ΓN1,i}ki=1, where now

    Γ1=ΓD1ΓN1,ΓN1=ki=1ΓN1i,ΓD1=ki=1ΓD1i,

    with ΓD1 and ΓN1 unconnected and where each piece ΓD1i, i=1,,k is between two consecutive pieces of the family {ΓN1j}kj=1 and viceversa.

    On the other hand, owing to [5], the results into this work also may be generalized to cover the case when, instead of imposing a Neumann boundary condition on ΓN1, it is imposed a boundary condition of Robin type like u+b(x)u=0, where bC(ΓN1) with arbitrary sign satisfies adequate technical conditions. The novelty of the results in this work is considering glued Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions on a same component of the boundary. These results are pioners in the field, because up the knowledge of the author, this is the first time where this kind of logistic problems have been analyzed.

    Before stating our main findings, we introduce some notations and previous results. Let us denote

    CΓ0ΓD1(Ω):={ϕ:ˉΩR:ϕC(Ω)C(ˉΩ)suppϕˉΩ(Γ0ΓD1)},

    and let H1(Ω) be the clousure in H1(Ω) of the set of functions CΓ0ΓD1(Ω), that is

    H1(Ω)=¯CΓ0ΓD1(Ω)H1(Ω).

    By construction if uH1(Ω), then u=0 on Γ0ΓD1. In the same way, taking into account that Ω0=Γ00Γ1=Γ00ΓD1ΓN1, we denote

    CΓ00ΓD1(Ω0):={ϕ:ˉΩ0R:ϕC(Ω0)C(ˉΩ0)suppϕˉΩ0(Γ00ΓD1)}

    and

    H1(Ω0)=¯CΓ00ΓD1(Ω0)H1(Ω0).

    Also we denote

    ˜H1(Ω0):={φ:ˉΩR:φH1(Ω0)φ=0 in Ω+Γ0},

    that is, any function belonging to ˜H1(Ω0) is the extension by 0 to ˉΩ of a previous function belonging to H1(Ω0). By definition, if u˜H1(Ω0) then u=0 in ΓD1Γ00Ω+Γ0. Also, by construction it is clear that

    ˜H1(Ω0)H1(Ω). (1.4)

    By a positive weak solution of (1.1) we mean any function φH1(Ω) satisfying

    φ>0,Ω+a(x)φq+1<,

    and such that for each ξCΓ0ΓD1(Ω), or ξH1(Ω), the following holds

    Ωφξ+Ωa(x)φqξ=λΩφξ. (1.5)

    In particular, taking ξ=φH1(Ω) we have that

    Ω|φ|2+Ωa(x)φq+1=λΩφ2. (1.6)

    Thus, since any positive weak solution of (1.1) can not be constant, it follows from (1.6) that if (1.1) possesses a positive weak solution φ for the value λ of the parameter, then

    λ=Ω|φ|2+Ωa(x)φq+1Ωφ2Ω|φ|2Ωφ2>0, (1.7)

    and therefore, λ>0 is a necessary condition for the existence of positive weak solutions of (1.1).

    Hereafter we denote BN, B(ΓN1) and B0(ΓN1) the boundary operators defined by

    BNu:={uonΓ0uonΓ1,B(ΓN1)u:={uonΓ0uonΓN1uonΓD1,

    and

    B0(ΓN1)u:={uonΓ00uonΓN1uonΓD1,

    and by D the Dirichlet boundary operator on Ω. Clearly, BN=B(Γ1). Also we denote

    W2(Ω):=p>1W2p(Ω).

    In the sequel we will say that a function uW2p(Ω), p>N is strongly positive in Ω, and we will denote it by u0, if u(x)>0 for each xΩΓ1 and u(x)<0 for each xΓ0 such that u(x)=0.

    Let us consider the eigenvalue problem

    {Δφ=σφinΩ,BNφ=ˉ0onΩ. (1.8)

    By a principal eigenvalue of (1.8) we mean any eigenvalue of it which possesses a one-signed eigenfunction and in particular a positive eigenfunction. Owing to the results in [1,Theorem 12.1] it is known that (1.8) possesses a unique principal eigenvalue, denoted in the sequel by σΩ1[Δ,BN], which is the least eigenvalue of (1.8) and it is simple. Moreover, the positive eigenfunction φN1 associated to it, unique up multiplicative constant, satisfies

    φN10 in Ω, (1.9)

    and in addition

    φN1W2(Ω)C1+α(ˉΩ)for allα(0,1). (1.10)

    A function φW2p(Ω) for p>N is said to be a positive strict supersolution of the problem (Δ,Ω,BN), if φ>0 in Ω and the following hold

    {Δφ0inΩ,BNφ0onΩ,

    with some of the inequalities strict. Since any positive constant μ>0 is a positive strict supersolution of the problem (Δ,Ω,BN), it follows from the characterization of the strong maximum principle given in [2,Theorem 2.4] that

    σΩ1[Δ,BN]>0. (1.11)

    Now, for any KL(Ω), let us denote LK:=Δ+K and let us consider the eigenvalue problem with mixed boundary conditions and glued Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions on Γ1 given by

    {LKφ=μφinΩ,B(ΓN1)φ=ˉ0onΩ. (1.12)

    A function φ is said to be a weak solution of (1.12) if φH1(Ω) and for each ξH1(Ω) the following holds

    Ωφξ+ΩKφξ=μΩφξ.

    The value μ is an eigenvalue of (1.12), if there exists a weak solution φ0 of (1.12) associated to μ. In that case, it is said that φ is a weak eigenfunction of (1.12) associated to the eigenvalue μ. By a principal eigenvalue of (1.12) we mean any eigenvalue of it which possesses a one-signed eigenfunction and in particular a positive eigenfunction.

    Owing to the results in [5,Theorem 1.1] it is known that (1.12) possesses a unique principal eigenvalue, denoted in the sequel by σΩ1[LK,B(ΓN1)], which is simple and the smallest eigenvalue of all others eigenvalues of (1.12). Moreover, the positive eigenfunction φ associated to it, unique up multiplicative constant, satisfies that φH1(Ω) and

    φ(x)>0a.e. in Ω. (1.13)

    Furthermore, σΩ1[LK,B(ΓN1)] comes characterized by

    σΩ1[LK,B(ΓN1)]=infφH1(Ω){0}Ω|φ|2+ΩKφ2Ωφ2=Ω|φ|2+ΩK(φ)2Ω(φ)2(cf. [5, (2.27)]). (1.14)

    Also, owing to [5,Corollary 3.5] the following hold

    σΩ1[LK,BN]<σΩ1[LK,B(ΓN1)]<σΩ1[LK,D]. (1.15)

    In the same way, substituting in (1.12) Ω by Ω0 and B(ΓN1) by B0(ΓN1), owing to [5,Theorem 1.1] we obtain the following variationl characterization for σΩ01[LK,B0(ΓN1)]

    σΩ01[LK,B0(ΓN1)]:=infφH1(Ω0){0}Ω0|φ|2+Ω0Kφ2Ω0φ2. (1.16)

    In the particular case when K=0, that is, when L0:=Δ, set

    σΩ1[D]:=σΩ1[Δ,D],σΩ1[BN]:=σΩ1[Δ,BN],

    and

    σΩ1[B(ΓN1)]:=σΩ1[Δ,B(ΓN1)],σΩ01[B0(ΓN1)]:=σΩ01[Δ,B0(ΓN1)].

    Owing to (1.11) and (1.14)–(1.16) the following hold

    σΩ1[B(ΓN1)]:=infφH1(Ω){0}Ω|φ|2Ωφ2=Ω|φ|2Ω(φ)2, (1.17)
    σΩ01[B0(ΓN1)]:=infφH1(Ω0){0}Ω0|φ|2Ω0φ2=Ω0|φ0|2Ω0(φ0)2, (1.18)

    and

    0<σΩ1[BN]<σΩ1[B(ΓN1)]<σΩ1[D], (1.19)

    where φ and φ0 stand for the positive principal eigenfunctions associated to σΩ1[B(ΓN1)] and σΩ01[B0(ΓN1)], respectively, unique up multiplicative constant. Taking into account (1.4) and the variational characterizations (1.17) and (1.18), it is clear that

    σΩ1[B(ΓN1)]σΩ01[B0(ΓN1)]. (1.20)

    The statements and proofs of the main findings of this work appear in Proposition 1 and Theorem 1. The main technical tools used to carry out the mathematical analysis of this work are variational and monotonicity techniques.

    The distribution of the rest of this paper is the following. In Section 2 is given a necessary condition for the existence of positive weak solutions of (1.1), sharper than (1.7), and some results about the pointing profile of such solutions. In Section 3 is given a sufficient condition for the exsitence of positive weak solutions of (1.1) depending on the λ-parameter, the spatial dimension N2 and the exponent q>1 of the reaction term.

    In this section is given a necessary condition for the existence of positive weak solutions of (1.1) sharper than (1.7), and some partial results about the pointing profile and regularity of the weak positive solutions of (1.1). The main result of this section establishes the following

    Proposition 1. Let u be a positive weak solution of (1.1) for the value λ of the parameter. Then,

    0<σΩ1[B(ΓN1)]<λ (2.1)

    and

    u>0inΩ+. (2.2)

    Moreover:

    a) If uL(Ω+), then

    λσΩ01[B0(ΓN1)] (2.3)

    and

    u(x)>0a.e. inΩ. (2.4)

    b) If

    N3and1<q<NN2, (2.5)

    then uH2(Ω) for any subdomain Ω⊂⊂Ω.

    c) If

    N=3and1<q<3, (2.6)

    then uC(K) in any compact subset KΩ.

    Proof. Let us denote

    σ1:=σΩ1[B(ΓN1)],σ0:=σΩ01[B0(ΓN1)].

    Owing to (1.19) and (1.20) we know that

    0<σ1σ0.

    To prove (2.1), let uH1(Ω) be a positive weak solution of (1.1) for the value λ of the parameter. Then

    λ=Ω|u|2+Ωa(x)uq+1Ωu2(cf. (1.7)). (2.7)

    Now, since u(x)0 a.e. in Ω and a(x)>0 for all xΩ+, we have that

    Ωa(x)uq+1=Ω+a(x)uq+10, (2.8)

    and hence, since uH1(Ω){0}, it follows from (2.7), (2.8) and (1.17) that

    λ=Ω|u|2+Ωa(x)uq+1Ωu2Ω|u|2Ωu2infφH1(Ω){0}Ω|φ|2Ωφ2=σ1 (2.9)

    and therefore,

    λσ1. (2.10)

    We now prove that (1.1) does not possess a positive weak solution for λ=σ1. To prove it we will argue by contradiction. Let us assume that vH1(Ω) is a positive weak solution of (1.1) for λ=σ1 and let φ be the positive principal eigenfunction associated to σ1, normalized so that Ω(φ)2=1. Owing to (1.13) and (1.17) we know that

    φ(x)>0a.e. in Ω (2.11)

    and

    σ1=Ω|φ|2Ω(φ)2.

    Since vH1(Ω) is a positive weak solution of (1.1) for λ=σ1>0, we have that

    Ωa(x)vq+1<,

    and for any ξH1(Ω) the following holds

    Ωvξ+Ωa(x)vqξ=σ1Ωvξ(cf. (1.5)). (2.12)

    Also, it follows from (1.6) that

    Ω|v|2+Ωa(x)vq+1=σ1Ωv2. (2.13)

    Moreover, necessarily

    v>0inΩ+, (2.14)

    because on the contrary, if

    v=0in Ω+, (2.15)

    then for all ξH1(Ω) we have that

    Ωa(x)vqξ=Ω+a(x)vqξ=0

    and (2.12) becomes

    Ωvξ=σ1ΩvξξH1(Ω). (2.16)

    Then, vH1(Ω) is a weak positive eigenfunction associated to σ1 and therefore, owing to the simplicity of σ1 guaranted by [5,Theorem 1.1], there exists α>0 such that

    v=αφinΩ. (2.17)

    Now, it follows from (2.11) and (2.17) that v(x)>0 a.e. in Ω+ which contradicts (2.15). This completes the proof of (2.14). Then, since (2.14) holds, we have that

    Ωa(x)vq+1=Ω+a(x)vq+1>0, (2.18)

    and hence, (2.13) and (2.18) imply that

    σ1=Ω|v|2+Ωa(x)vq+1Ωv2>Ω|v|2Ωv2,

    which contradicts the variational characterization of σ1 given by (1.17), and completes the proof of the fact that (1.1) does not possess a positive weak solution for λ=σ1. This fact, together with (2.10) and (1.19), complete the proof of (2.1).

    We now prove (2.2). To prove it we will argue by contradiction. Indeed, let vH1(Ω) be a positive weak solution of (1.1) for the value λ of the parameter and let assume that v=0 in Ω+. Then, (2.1) holds,

    Ωvξ+Ωa(x)vqξ=λΩvξξH1(Ω)(cf. (1.5))  (2.19)

    and since

    Ωa(x)vqξ=Ω+a(x)vqξ=0ξH1(Ω),

    (2.19) becomes

    Ωvξ=λΩvξξH1(Ω). (2.20)

    Now, since v>0 in Ω, it follows from (2.20) that (λ,v) is a principal eigenpair of the problem

    {Δφ=μφinΩ,B(ΓN1)φ=0onΩ, (2.21)

    and owing to the uniqueness of the principal eigenvalue of (2.21) guaranteed by [5,Theorem 1.1], we have that λ=σ1, which contradicts (2.1) and completes the proof of (2.2).

    We now prove (2.3) and (2.4). If uH1(Ω)L(Ω+) is a positive weak solution of (1.1) for the value λ of the parameter, then u is a positive weak solution of the eigenvalue problem

    {(Δ+a(x)uq1)u=λuinΩ,B(ΓN1)u=0onΩ, (2.22)

    where the potential

    K=a(x)uq1L(Ω).

    Now, since (2.22) fits into the abstract framework of (1.12), it follows from the uniqueness of the principal eigenvalue of (2.22) and the structure of its positive eigenfunction, unique up multiplicative constant (cf.[5,Theorem 1.1]) that

    λ=σΩ1[Δ+a(x)uq1,B(ΓN1)] (2.23)

    and

    u(x)>0 a.e. in Ω.

    This completes the proof of (2.4). Now, taking into account the variational characterization of the principal eigenvalue σΩ1[Δ+a(x)uq1,B(ΓN1)] given by

    σΩ1[Δ+a(x)uq1,B(ΓN1)]=infφH1(Ω){0}Ω|φ|2+Ωa(x)uq1φ2Ωφ2(cf. (1.14)), 

    (2.23), the definition of ˜H1(Ω0), (1.4) and (1.18), the following hold

    λ=infφH1(Ω){0}Ω|φ|2+Ωa(x)uq1φ2Ωφ2infφ˜H1(Ω0){0}Ω|φ|2+Ωa(x)uq1φ2Ωφ2=infφH1(Ω0){0}Ω0|φ|2+Ω0a(x)uq1φ2Ω0φ2=infφH1(Ω0){0}Ω0|φ|2Ω0φ2=σ0,

    which completes the proof of (2.3).

    We now prove b). Let uH1(Ω) be a positive weak solution of (1.1). Owing to the Rellich-Kondrachov theorem we have that under condition (2.5) the following holds

    H1(Ω)L2q(Ω). (2.24)

    Then, since uH1(Ω), it follows from (2.24) that uqL2(Ω) and since aC(ˉΩ), we have that the function

    f=auqL2(Ω). (2.25)

    Now, since uH1(Ω) satisfies

    Δuλu=auqinΩ

    in the weak sense, owing to (2.25) it follows from [6,Theorem 8.8] that uH2(Ω) for any subdomain Ω⊂⊂Ω, which completes the proof of b).

    We now prove c). Let u be a positive weak solution of (1.1) and let K be a compact subset of Ω. Let pick up Ω a subdomain of Ω satisfying

    KΩ⊂⊂Ω. (2.26)

    Owing to (2.6) it follows from b) that

    uH2(Ω). (2.27)

    Now, since for N=3 under the general assumptions we have that

    H2(Ω)C(Ω)(cf. [6, Eq (7.30)]),  (2.28)

    the result follows from (2.26)–(2.28). This completes the proof of c).

    This completes the proof.

    Remark 1. It should be pointed out that owing to (1.19), (2.1) provides us with a necessary condition for the existence of positive weak solution of (1.1) sharper than (1.7). In fact, as it will be shown in the following section, the lower bound about the λ-parameter for the existence of positive weak solution of (1.1) given by (2.1) is optimal.

    In this section is given a sufficient condition for the existence of positive weak solutions of (1.1) depending on the λ parameter, on the exponent q>1 of the reaction term and on the spatial dimension N2. To prove it are used some of the arguments given in [7,Theorem 2]. The main result of this section establishes the following

    Theorem 1. Assume that

    σΩ1[B(ΓN1)]<λ<σΩ01[B0(ΓN1)] (3.1)

    and either:

    i) N=2 (and q>1), or

    ii) N3 and 1<q<N+2N2.

    Then, (1.1) posseses a positive weak solution. Moreover, if v stands for such a positive weak solution of (1.1), then v>0 in Ω+.

    Proof. At the beginning we remark that (1.19) and (3.1) imply that

    λ>σΩ1[B(ΓN1)]>σΩ1[BN]>0. (3.2)

    To prove the existence of a weak positive solution of (1.1) for each λ satisfying (3.1), we will consider the functional

    Φ(u)=12Ω|u|2+1q+1Ωa(x)|u|q+1λ2Ωu2,

    and we will show that it reaches its minimum in a positive function of H1(Ω). Before proving the existence of such a global minimum φmH1(Ω) of Φ in H1(Ω), we will prove that if it exists, then it is nontrivial, that is, φm0, and it may be considered positive. Indeed, since (3.1) holds, taking into account the variational characterization of the principal eigenvalue σΩ1[B(ΓN1)] we have that

    σΩ1[B(ΓN1)]=infuH1(Ω){0}Ω|u|2Ωu2<λ.

    Hence, there exists ˜φH1(Ω){0} such that

    σΩ1[B(ΓN1)]<Ω|˜φ|2Ω˜φ2<λ,

    and therefore,

    Ω|˜φ|2λΩ˜φ2<0. (3.3)

    We can assume that ˜φ>0 because on the contrary we can replace ˜φ by |˜φ|.

    Since ˜φH1(Ω), it follows from the Rellich-Kondrachov Theorem that under condition i), that is, N=2 and q>1, or under condition ii), that is N3 and q(1,N+2N2), we have that ˜φLq+1(Ω) and hence

    |Ωa(x)˜φq+1|aL(Ω)˜φq+1Lq+1(Ω)<. (3.4)

    Now, for each ε>0, let us consider the positive function

    ˜φε:=ε˜φH1(Ω).

    We have that

    Φ(˜φε)=ε2(12Ω|˜φ|2λ2Ω˜φ2+εq1q+1Ωa(x)˜φq+1)

    and hence, owing to (3.3) and (3.4), we infer that Φ(˜φε)<0 for ε>0 small enough. Then, a possible minimum φmH1(Ω) of Φ must be nontrivial. Moreover, we can assume that φm>0 because on the contrary, since Φ(φm)=Φ(|φm|), we can replace φm0 by |φm|>0.

    Now, in order to prove the existence of the global minimum of Φ in H1(Ω), we will prove that Φ is coercive and weakly lower semicontinuous.

    To prove that Φ is coercive we will argue by contradiction, assuming the existence of a sequence unH1(Ω), n1 satisfying

    limnunH1(Ω)=, (3.5)

    and

    Φ(un)=12Ω|un|2+1q+1Ωa(x)|un|q+1λ2Ωu2nC (3.6)

    for some C>0. Then, it follows from (3.5) and (3.6) that

    limnΩu2n=, (3.7)

    because on the contrary, if there exists a subsequence on un, again labeled by n such that

    Ωu2nD,n1, (3.8)

    for some positive constant D>0, then, since λ>0 (cf. (3.2)), it follows from (3.6) and (3.8) that

    12Ω|un|212Ω|un|2+1q+1Ωa(x)|un|q+1C+λ2Ωu2nC+λ2D,

    and hence

    Ω|un|22C+λD,

    which implies, together with (3.8), that un is bounded in H1(Ω), which contradicts (3.5). This proves that under conditions (3.5) and (3.6), (3.7) holds.

    Now, set

    vn=ununL2(Ω),n1.

    By construction,

    vnL2(Ω)=1,n1. (3.9)

    Taking into account the definition of vn, it follows from (3.6) and (3.9) that

    12Ω|vn|2+1q+1Ωa(x)|vn|q+1unq1L2(Ω)Cun2L2(Ω)+λ2 (3.10)

    and hence,

    Ω|vn|22Cun2L2(Ω)+λ. (3.11)

    Now, (3.7), (3.9) and (3.11) imply that vn is a bounded sequence in H1(Ω) and therefore, along some subsequence of vn, again labeled by vn. we have that vn converges strongly in L2(Ω), that is

    limnvnvL2(Ω)=0,vL2(Ω), (3.12)

    and vn converges weakly in H1(Ω),

    vnvinH1(Ω). (3.13)

    It follows from (3.9) and (3.12) that

    vL2(Ω)=1. (3.14)

    Also, owing to (3.10) the following holds

    1q+1Ωa(x)|vn|q+1unq1L2(Ω)Cun2L2(Ω)+λ2.

    Hence,

    Ω+a(x)|vn|q+1=Ωa(x)|vn|q+1(q+1)Cunq+1L2(Ω)+λ(q+1)2unq1L2(Ω) (3.15)

    and therefore, owing to (3.7) it follows from (3.15) that

    limnΩ+a(x)|vn|q+1=0. (3.16)

    Now, owing to the Fatou Lemma, it follows from (3.12) and (3.16) that

    Ω+a(x)|v|q+1=0,

    and since a(x)>0 for all xΩ+ we have that

    v=0a.e. in Ω+. (3.17)

    Thus, owing to (3.17) and (3.7), letting n in (3.11) we obtain that

    Ω0|v|2=Ω|v|2λ. (3.18)

    On the other hand, it follows from (3.14) and (3.17) that

    vL2(Ω0)=1. (3.19)

    Also, since by construction vn=0 on Γ0ΓD1, n1, taking into account (3.12) we have that

    v=0on Γ0ΓD1 (3.20)

    in the sense of traces. We now show that

    v=0on Γ00. (3.21)

    Since Γ00=Ω0Ω=Ω+Ω, let us consider the trace operator on Γ00, ˜γL(H1(Ω+),L2(Γ00)). Owing to the continuity of ˜γ, it follows from (3.17) the existence of ˜K>0 such that

    v|Γ00L2(Γ00)˜KvH1(Ω+)=0,

    and therefore v=0 on Γ00, which proves (3.21). Then, (3.18)–(3.21) imply that vH1(Ω0) and since vL2(Ω0)=1, it follows from (3.18) and the variational characterization for σΩ01[B0(ΓN1)] that

    σΩ01[B0(ΓN1)]Ω0|v|2λ,

    which contradicts (3.1) and proves that Φ is coercive.

    We now prove that Φ is weakly lower semicontinuous in H1(Ω). To prove it, let un be a sequence such that unu. Then, un is bounded in H1(Ω) and

    uH1(Ω)lim infnunH1(Ω)(cf. [3, Proposition III.5]). (3.22)

    By compactness we have that unu in L2(Ω) and hence,

    limnunL2(Ω)=uL2(Ω), (3.23)

    and

    un(x)u(x)a.e. in Ω. (3.24)

    Then, it follows from (3.22) and (3.23) that

    Ω|u|2lim infnΩ|un|2. (3.25)

    Now, let us consider the sequence fn=a|un|q+10 and f=a|u|q+1. Owing to (3.24) fn(x)f(x) a.e. in Ω and hence, the Fatou's Lemma implies that

    Ωflim infnΩfn,

    that is,

    Ωa|u|q+1lim infnΩa|un|q+1. (3.26)

    Now, (3.23), (3.25) and (3.26) imply that

    Φ(u)lim infnΦ(un),

    and therefore Φ is weakly lower semicontinuous.

    Then, since Φ is coercive and weakly lower semicontinuos, it follows from [8], [4] that Φ reaches a global minimun φm in H1(Ω) and, as it was remarked at the beginning of the proof, it may be considered positive, that is, φm>0. Now, differentiating Φ at φm in any direction ξH1(Ω) we obtain that

    ddtΦ(φm+tξ)|t=0=Ωφmξ+Ωa(x)φqmξλΩφmξ, (3.27)

    and since Φ reaches its global minimum at φm, it follows from (3.27) that

    Ωφmξ+Ωa(x)φqmξλΩφmξ=0,

    which proves, under condition i) or ii), the existence of a weak positive solution φm of (1.1) for any λ satisfying (3.1). The fact that v=φm>0 in Ω+ follows from Proposition 1.

    This completes the proof.

    Supported by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities under grant PGC2018-097104-B-I00 and by the Ministry of Science and Innovation under grant PID2021-123343NB-I00

    The author declares no conflict of interest.



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    [5] S. Cano-Casanova, Principal eigenvalues of elliptic BVPs with glued Dirichlet-Robin mixed boundary conditions. Large potentials on the boundary conditions, J. Math. Anal. Appl., 491 (2020), 124364. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jmaa.2020.124364 doi: 10.1016/j.jmaa.2020.124364
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    [7] J. Garcia-Melián, J. Sabina de Lis, J. Rossi, A bifurcation problem governed by the boundary condition I, Nonlinear Differ. Equ. Appl., 14 (2007), 499–525. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00030-007-4064-x doi: 10.1007/s00030-007-4064-x
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