Semilinear problems with poly-Laplace type operators

Abstract

The paper deals with semilinear operator equations involving iterates of a strongly monotone symmetric linear operator. In particular there are consider semilinear polyharmonic equations subject to the Navier boundary conditions. A careful analysis is made on the energetic spaces associated to such problems and a number of existence results are obtained by using a fixed point approach.

Authors

Radu Precup
Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Tiberiu Popoviciu Institute of Numerical Analysis, Romanian Academy

Keywords

polyharmonic equation, iterates of symmetric linear operators, energetic space

Paper coordinates

R. Precup, Semilinear problems with poly-Laplace type operators, Proceedings of the Romanian Academy Series A, 23 (2022) no. 4, pp. 319-328.

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Semilinear problems with poly-Laplace type operators

Semilinear problems with poly-Laplace type operators

Radu Precup
Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science and Institute of
Advanced Studies in Science and Technology,
Babeş-Bolyai University, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, Romania &
Tiberiu Popoviciu  Institute of Numerical Analysis, Romanian
Academy, P.O. Box 68-1, 400110 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Abstract

The paper deals with semilinear operator equations involving iterates of a strongly monotone symmetric linear operator. In particular there are consider semilinear polyharmonic equations subject to the Navier boundary conditions. A careful analysis is made on the energetic spaces associated to such problems and a number of existence results are obtained by using a fixed point approach.


Mathematics Classification: 35J40, 46E35, 47J25

Key words: Polyharmonic equation, iterates of symmetric linear operators, energetic space.

1 Introduction

There is known the bi-Laplace equation Δ2⁢u=0 whose solutions are called biharmonic functions. The equation arises as a model for the elastic equilibrium in the theory of elasticity. Also there are known its generalizations, the poly-Laplace equations Δp⁢u=0, p>2, whose solutions are said to be polyharmonic of order p (see, [9] and [10]). The operator Δ2=Δ⁢Δ is referred as the bi-Laplacian and Δp=Δ⁢(Δp−1) is said to be the Laplacian of order p. The non-homogeneous versions of these equations are

Δp⁢u=h,

and when considered in a domain Ω, in case p=2, there has been added the boundary condition

u=d⁢ud⁢ν=0on ⁢∂Ω, (1.1)

where ν is the unit normal vector to the boundary, or the boundary condition

u=Δ⁢u=0on ⁢∂Ω (1.2)

(see [8]). For p>2, condition (1.1) can be generalized following Lauricella [7] as follows

u=d⁢ud⁢ν=…=dp−1⁢ud⁢νp−1=0on ⁢∂Ω,

and (1.2), as suggested by Riquier [13], by

u=Δ⁢u=Δ2⁢u=…=Δp−1⁢u=0on ⁢∂Ω.

For the classical theory of polyharmonic functions we refer the reader to the volume [9] which brings together the entire contribution of Miron Nicolescu to this field and which allows obtaining information on contributions originating from old, less accessible publications.

Modern theory has introduced the concept of weak solution and Sobolev spaces as natural framework for the study of these operators and of the associated semilinear problems. Thus the problem

{Δ2⁢u=f⁢(x,u,∇u,Δ⁢u)in ⁢Ωu=∂u∂ν=0on ⁢∂Ω (1.3)

involving the natural boundary condition ∂u∂ν=0can be naturally addressed in H02⁢(Ω) endowed with the equivalent norm |Δ⁢u|L2⁢(Ω). Other studies (see, e.g., [1], [2], [4] and [11]) have aimed to treat problems of type (1.3) under the boundary conditions u=Δ⁢u=0 on ∂Ω (called Navier boundary conditions [5]) by looking for solutions in the space H2⁢(Ω)∩H01⁢(Ω) with norm |Δ⁢u|L2⁢(Ω). The problem is that the condition ”Δ⁢u=0on ∂Ω” not being a natural boundary condition it does not follow from the variational formulation of the problem. This is the reason to restrict the study to a subspace of functions in order to give a meaning to the equality Δ⁢u=0 on the boundary. This will be one of our main goals in this work. Roughly speaking we suggest that the iterative nature of the differential operator to reflect on its energetic space and consequently on some basic inequalities. We lead this discussion more generally considering instead of Laplacian a strongly monotone symmetric linear operator A. Thus our results will concern semilinear operator equations of the form

Ap⁢u=h+F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u),

where Ap is the p-th iterate of A, defined recursively by Ap=A⁢Ap−1. The whole approach is based on the theory of the energetic space XA associated to A. There are thus obtained existence results for the problem

{Ap⁢u=h+F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u)u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u∈XA (1.4)

where h∈XA′ is given and F is on the position of a perturbation of h. In particular, we obtain results for semilinear poly-Laplace equations.

2 Preliminaries

In this section we recall the notion of energetic space (see [14]) and some related results.

2.1 The energetic space

Let X be a real Hilbert space with the inner product (⋅,⋅)X and the norm |⋅|X. Let Y be a linear subspace of X and A:Y→X be a strongly monotone symmetric linear operator, that is, a linear operator satisfying

(A⁢u,v)X=(u,A⁢v)Xfor all ⁢u,v∈Y,
(A⁢u,u)X≥c2⁢|u|X2for all ⁢u∈Y (2.1)

and some constant c>0. Then, endowed with the energetic inner product

(u,v)A:=(A⁢u,v)X(u,v∈Y)

and the energetic norm

|u|A=(A⁢u,u)X1/2(u∈Y),

Y becomes a pre-Hilbert space. Its completion (see, e.g., [6, Section I 4.3]) denoted by XA is called the energetic space of A. In virtue of (2.1), any Cauchy sequence in the energetic norm is also a Cauchy sequence in the norm |⋅|X. This allows us to see XA as a subset of the original complete space X, and the elements of XA as limits in X of Cauchy sequences from (Y,|⋅|A). Furthemore, the energetic inner product and norm can be extended from Y to XA by

(u,v)XA:=limk→∞(uk,vk)A,|u|XA:=lim|uk|A,

where (uk) and (vk) are Cauchy sequences in (Y,|⋅|A) that converge in X to u and v, respectively.

2.2 Abstract Poincaré’s inequality

Inequality (2.1) can be extended by density from Y to XA showing that

|u|XA≥c⁢|u|Xfor all ⁢u∈XA. (2.2)

Thus c is an embedding constant for the continuous inclusion XA⊂X. We call this inequality Poincaré’s inequality.

If the embedding XA⊂X is compact, then there is a largest embedding constant c and the inequality is reached. Indeed, if we denote

λ:=inf{|u|XA2:u∈XA,|u|X=1},

then λ≥c2 and if we take any minimizing sequence (uk), that is

uk∈XA,|uk|X=1,|uk|XA2→λ,

then using the compactness of the embedding XA⊂X and passing eventually to a subsequence we can assume that uk→u in X, for some u∈X. Furthermore, from the identity

|uk−um|XA2+|uk+um|XA2=2⁢(|uk|XA2+|um|XA2),

since |uk+um|XA2≥λ⁢|uk+um|X2, we deduce

|uk−um|XA2≤2⁢(|uk|XA2+|um|XA2)−λ⁢|uk+um|X2→0

as k,m→∞. Hence (uk) is a Cauchy sequence in XA. Let v∈XA be such that uk→v in XA. Then uk→v in X too, and the uniqueness of the limit implies that v=u. Consequently, |uk|XA→|u|XA, that is λ=|u|XA2. Thus the infimum λ is reached and λ is the best constant c in (2.2). Thus, in case that the embedding XA⊂X is compact, Poincaré’s inequality reads as follows:

|u|X≤1λ⁢|u|XAfor all ⁢u∈XA.

2.3 The dual of the energetic space

Having XA⊂X, for the dual spaces we have X′⊂XA′ and if, based on Riesz’ theorem, we assume the identification X′=X, then one has

XA⊂X⊂XA′.

In addition, from (2.2) we also have

|u|X≥c⁢|u|XA′for all ⁢u∈X. (2.3)

Indeed, if u∈X, then  for any v∈X, one has⟨u,v⟩=(u,v)X, where by  ⟨⋅,⋅⟩ we mean the value of a linear functional at a given element. Then

|u|XA′=supv∈XA∖{0}|⟨u,v⟩||v|XA=supv∈XA∖{0}|(u,v)X||v|XA≤supv∈XA∖{0}|u|X⁢|v|X|v|XA≤1c⁢|u|X.

Notice in case that the embedding XA⊂X is compact, so is the embedding X⊂XA′ and in (2.3) we may take as in (2.2) the best constant c=λ.

2.4 Extension of operator A

Clearly we can define the linear operator A~:XA→XA′ by

⟨A~⁢u,v⟩=(u,v)XAfor all ⁢u,v∈XA.

In particular, if u,v∈Y, then since (u,v)XA=(A⁢u,v)X, one has ⟨A~⁢u,v⟩=(A⁢u,v)X, which by the density of Y into XA can be extended to all v∈XA. Thus the functionals A~⁢u and (A⁢u,⋅)X act identically in XA. The last one is a continuous linear functional on X which in virtue of Riesz’s representation theorem is identified with A⁢u. In this sense, as continuous linear functionals on XA, one has A~⁢u=A⁢u, and therefore A~ can be seen as an extension of A from Y to XA. It is common to use the same symbol A for the extension A~. Thus A:XA→XA′.

2.5 The inverse of operator A

In the previous subsection we have that for every u∈XA there is a unique element denoted A⁢u∈XA′ with

⟨A⁢u,v⟩=(u,v)XAfor all ⁢v∈XA. (2.4)

Conversely, for every h∈XA′ by Riesz’s theorem, there is a unique element u∈XA with

⟨h,v⟩=(u,v)XAfor all ⁢v∈XA.

Clearly A⁢u=h and thus u=A−1⁢h. Hence the inverse of A is the operator A−1:XA′→XA defined by

(A−1⁢h,v)XA=⟨h,v⟩for all ⁢v∈XA.

The two linear operators A and A−1 are isometries between XA and XA′. Indeed, letting v=u in (2.4) gives

|u|XA2=⟨A⁢u,u⟩≤|A⁢u|XA′⁢|u|XA,

whence |u|XA≤|A⁢u|XA′. The converse inequality comes from

|A⁢u|XA′=supv∈XA∖{0}|⟨A⁢u,v⟩||v|XA=supv∈XA∖{0}|(u,v)XA||v|XA≤|u|XA.

Hence

|A⁢u|XA′=|u|XA(u∈XA),|A−1⁢h|XA=|h|XA′(h∈XA′).

2.6 Weak solutions to linear operator equations

Consider the operator equation associated to A,

A⁢u=h.

By a (strong) solution we mean an element u∈Y such that A⁢u=h. Obviously this is possible if h∈X. By a weak solution we mean an element u∈XA satisfying the identity

(u,v)XA=⟨h,v⟩for all ⁢v∈XA.

When speaking about weak solutions we may assume more generally that h∈XA′. In view of the previous subsection, for each h∈XA′, the equation has a unique weak solution, namely u=A−1⁢h.

Note that looking for weak solutions to a semilinear equation

A⁢u=Φ⁢(u),

where Φ:XA→XA′ is any mapping, reduces to solving the fixed point equation

u=A−1⁢Φ⁢(u),u∈XA.

3 Semilinear operator equations involving iterates of a symmetric linear operator

We now come back to problem (1.4), where A is a linear operator as in Introduction.

3.1
Functional framework

Looking at the required conditions on the elements u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u to belong to the energetic space XA of the operator A, we may seek solutions in the space

H:=A−(p−1)⁢(XA).

Here A−k=A−1⁢(A−(k−1)) for k=2,…,p−1. Since A−1:XA′→XA and XA⊂XA′ one has

H=A−(p−1)⁢(XA)⊂A−(p−2)⁢(XA)⊂…⊂A−1⁢(XA)⊂XA. (3.1)

We endow H with the inner product and norm

(u,v)H:=(Ap−1⁢u,Ap−1⁢v)XA,|u|H:=|Ap−1⁢u|XA.

Note that the functional |⋅|H is indeed a norm on H since if for some u∈H, one has |u|H=0, then Ap−1⁢u=0, whence Ap−2⁢u=0 and so on until we obtain u=0.

Lemma 3.1

The space H endowed with the inner product (⋅,⋅)H is a Hilbert space which continuously embeds in XA.

Proof. Let (uk) be any Cauchy sequence in H. Then (Ap−1⁢uk) is Cauchy in XA, so convergent in XA to some v∈XA. Since the embedding XA⊂XA′ is continuous, we then have Ap−1⁢uk→v in XA′. Next, the continuity of A−1 from XA′ to XA implies Ap−2⁢uk→A−1⁢v in XA. Repeating the above reasoning we arrive to the conclusion that uk→A−(p−1)⁢v in XA, that is uk→u:=A−(p−1)⁢v in H. This proves that (H,|⋅|H) is complete.   

Knowing the operator A−1 from XA′ to XA and the inclusions (3.1) we immediately can see that for every h∈XA′ there is a unique u∈H, namely u=A−p⁢h,   which solves the non-homogeneous equation

Ap⁢u=h.

Consequently, solving a semi-linear equation of the form

Ap⁢u=Φ⁢(u),

where Φ:H→XA′ is any mapping, is equivalent to the fixed point equation

u=A−p⁢Φ⁢(u),u∈H

for the operator A−p⁢Φ:H→H.

3.2 Existence and uniqueness under a Lipschitz condition

Using Banach contraction principle we obtain the following result on problem (1.4).

Theorem 3.2

Let F:Xp→X satisfy

|F⁢(u)−F⁢(v)|X≤∑i=1pai⁢|ui−vi|X (3.2)

for all u=(u1,…,up),v=(v1,…,vp)∈Xp and some nonnegative constants ai,i=1,…,p. If

θ:=∑i=1paic2⁢(p+1−i)<1, (3.3)

then problem (1.4) has a unique solution u∈H.

Proof. Problem (1.4) is equivalent to the fixed point equation

u=A−p⁢(h+F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u)),u∈H.

Using (3.2) and Poincaré’s inequality (2.2), for any u,v∈H, we have

|A−p⁢F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u)−A−p⁢F⁢(v,A⁢v,…,Ap−1⁢v)|H
= |A−1⁢(F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u)−F⁢(v,A⁢v,…,Ap−1⁢v))|XA
= |F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u)−F⁢(v,A⁢v,…,Ap−1⁢v)|XA′
≤ 1c⁢|F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u)−F⁢(v,A⁢v,…,Ap−1⁢v)|X
≤ 1c⁢∑i=1pai⁢|Ai−1⁢(u−v)|X.

Furthermore, for ant w∈H, one has

|Ap−1⁢w|X ≤ 1c⁢|Ap−1⁢w|XA=1c⁢|w|H,
|Ap−2⁢w|X ≤ 1c⁢|Ap−2⁢w|XA=1c⁢|Ap−1⁢w|XA′≤1c2⁢|Ap−1⁢w|X≤1c3⁢|w|H,
|Ap−3⁢w|X ≤ 1c⁢|Ap−3⁢w|XA=1c⁢|Ap−2⁢w|XA′≤1c2⁢|Ap−2⁢w|X≤1c5⁢|w|H.

Repeating the above estimations for p−4,…, 0, we obtain

|Ai−1⁢w|X≤1c2⁢(p−i)+1⁢|w|H,i=1,…,p. (3.5)

Then

|A−p⁢F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u)−A−p⁢F⁢(v,A⁢v,…,Ap−1⁢v)|H
≤ (∑i=1paic2⁢(p+1−i))⁢|u−v|H
= θ⁢|u−v|H,

which in view of (3.3) shows that the operator

N:=A−p⁢(h+F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u))

is a contraction on H. The conclusion now follows from Banach contraction principle.   

3.3 Existence under a linear growth condition

If instead of the Lipschitz condition (3.2) we only have a linear growth condition on F and we assume that the embedding XA⊂X is compact, then we can still prove the existence of at least one solution by using Schauder’s fixed point theorem.

Theorem 3.3

Assume that the embedding XA⊂X is compact and that F:Xp→X is continuous and satisfies

|F⁢(u)|X≤C+∑i=1pai⁢|ui|X (3.7)

for all u=(u1,…,up)∈Xp and some C>0 and nonnegative constants ai,i=1,…,p. If condition (3.3) holds, then problem (1.4) has at least one solution u∈H with

|u|H≤C⁢c−1+|h|XA′1−θ.

Proof. As above we now have

|A−p⁢F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u)|H ≤ 1c⁢|F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u)|X
≤ C⁢c−1+θ⁢|u|H.

Since θ<1, R=(C⁢c−1+|h|XA′)/(1−θ)>0 and N is a self mapping of the closed ball BR of H centered at the origin and of radius R. On the other hand N0⁢(u):=A−p⁢F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u) can be decomposed as

N=A−(p−1)⁢A−1⁢J⁢F⁢J0⁢P,

where

P : H→XAp,P⁢u=(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u);J0:XAp→Xp,J⁢u=u;
F : Xp→X;J:X→XA′,J⁢u=u;A−1:XA′→XA;A−(p−1):XA→H.

All these operators are continuous and bounded (send bounded sets to bounded sets) and J0 is compact. As a result their composition N0 is completely continuous. Now the conclusion follows from Schauder’s fixed point theorem applied to N in the ball BR.   

3.4 Existence via a priori bounds

We may replace the growth condition on F by a sign type condition as shows the following theorem.

Theorem 3.4

Assume that F:XAp→XA′ is completely continuous and satisfies

⟨F⁢(v),vp⟩≤α⁢|vp|X2 (3.8)

for all v=(v1,…,vp)∈XAp and some α∈[0,c2). Then problem (1.4) has at least one solution u∈H. Moreover, any solution u∈H of the problem satisfies

|u|H≤|h|XA′/(1−α⁢c−2). (3.9)

Proof. Using a similar reasoning as in the previous proof we can show that the operator A−p⁢F:H→H is completely continuous. We now prove that the set of all possible solutions of the equations

u=μ⁢A−p⁢(h+F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u))

for μ∈[0,1] is bounded as (3.9) shows. Indeed, if u is such a solution, then

|u|H2 = μ⁢(A−p⁢h,u)H+μ⁢(A−p⁢F⁢(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u),u)H
= μ⁢(A−1⁢h,Ap−1⁢u)XA+μ⁢(A−1⁢F,Ap−1⁢u)XA
≤ |h|XA′⁢|u|H+μ⁢(A−1⁢F,Ap−1⁢u)XA.

Next since v:=(u,A⁢u,…,Ap−1⁢u)∈XAp, based on (3.8), one has

(A−1⁢F,Ap−1⁢u)XA=⟨F,Ap−1⁢u⟩≤α⁢|Ap−1⁢u|X2≤αc2⁢|u|H2.

It follows that

|u|H2≤α⁢c−2⁢|u|H2+|h|XA′⁢|u|H,

whence (3.9). The existence of a solution is guaranteed by the Leray-Schauder principle.   

4 Semilinear problems with poly-Laplace operators

The results established in Section 3 can be easily applied to problems involving poly-Laplace operators, more exactly to the problem

{Δp⁢u=h+f⁢(x,u,Δ⁢u,…,Δp−1⁢u)in ⁢Ωu=Δ⁢u=…=Δp−1⁢u=0on ⁢∂Ω. (4.1)

Here Ω⊂ℝn is bounded open, X=L2⁢(Ω), A=−Δ, XA=H01⁢(Ω),XA′=H−1⁢(Ω), h∈H−1⁢(Ω)andf:Ω×ℝp→ℝ. Hence

H=(−Δ)−(p−1)⁢H01⁢(Ω),(u,v)H=∫Ω∇Δp−1⁢u⋅∇Δp−1⁢v,|u|H=|Δp−1⁢u|H01⁢(Ω).

Also the compactness of the imbedding XA⊂X holds and the imbedding constant in Poincaré’s inequality is c=λ1, where λ1 is the first eigenvalue of the Dirichlet problem for Laplacian (for the theory of elliptic problems, see, e.g., [3] or [12]).

In this case, F is the superposition operator

F⁢(u,(−Δ)⁢u,…,(−Δ)p−1⁢u)⁢(x)=f⁢(x,u⁢(x),Δ⁢u⁢(x),…,Δp−1⁢u⁢(x))

(x∈Ω,u∈H).

Theorem 3.2 yields the following result.

Corollary 4.1

Let f satisfy the Carathéodory conditions, f⁢(⋅,0)∈L2⁢(Ω) and

|f⁢(x,u)−f⁢(x,v)|≤∑i=1pai⁢|ui−vi| (4.2)

for all u=(u1,…,up),v=(v1,…,vp)∈ℝp and some nonnegative constants ai,i=1,…,p. If θ<1(θ being given by (3.3) with c=λ1), then problem (4.1) has a unique solution u∈(−Δ)−(p−1)⁢H01⁢(Ω).

Proof. According to the main theorem abut Nemytskii’s superposition operator, F maps L2⁢(Ω;ℝp) to L2⁢(Ω). In addition, for any u,v∈L2⁢(Ω;ℝp), from (4.2) we find

|F⁢(u)−F⁢(v)|L2⁢(Ω)≤∑i=1pai⁢|ui−vi|L2⁢(Ω).

Thus Theorem 3.2 is applicable and gives the result.   

Theorem 3.3 yields the following result.

Corollary 4.2

Let f satisfy the Carathéodory conditions and

|f⁢(x,u)|≤ψ⁢(x)+∑i=1pai⁢|ui| (4.3)

for all u=(u1,…,up)∈ℝp, a.e. x∈Ω, some nonnegative constants ai,i=1,…,p and a function ψ∈L2⁢(Ω). If θ<1(θ being given by (3.3) with c=λ1), then problem (4.1) has at least one solution u∈(−Δ)−(p−1)⁢H01⁢(Ω) with

|Δp−1⁢u|H01⁢(Ω)≤|ψ|L2⁢(Ω)/λ1+|h|H−1⁢(Ω)1−θ.

Using Theorem 3.4 we obtain the following result.

Corollary 4.3

Let f satisfy the Carathéodory conditions and

|f⁢(x,u)|≤ψ⁢(x)+∑i=1pai⁢|ui|q (4.4)

for all u=(u1,…,up)∈ℝp, a.e. x∈Ω, some nonnegative constants ai,i=1,…,p, a number 1≤q<2∗−1=2∗/(2∗)′=(n+2)/(n−2)(n≥3)) and a function ψ∈Lq0⁢(Ω), where q0∈((2∗)′,2∗/q]. In addition assume that

vp⁢f⁢(x,v)≤α⁢vp2

for every v∈ℝp and some α∈[0,λ1). Then problem (4.1) has at least one solution u∈(−Δ)−(p−1)⁢H01⁢(Ω). Moreover, any solution u∈(−Δ)−(p−1)⁢H01⁢(Ω) satisfies

|Δp−1⁢u|H01⁢(Ω)≤|h|H−1⁢(Ω)/(1−αλ1).

Proof. Let q1=q0⁢q. Clearly q1∈[1,2∗].Hence the embedding H01⁢(Ω)⊂Lq1⁢(Ω) is continuous, while since q0>(2∗)′, the embedding Lq0⁢(Ω)⊂H−1⁢(Ω) is compact. In addition since q=q1/q0, from (4.4) we have that Nemytskii’s superposition operator Nf is well-defined, continuous and bounded from Lq1⁢(Ω)p to Lq0⁢(Ω). Then our operator F⁢(u)=f⁢(⋅,u⁢(⋅)) can be decomposed as F=J⁢Nf⁢P, where

P : H01⁢(Ω)p→Lq1⁢(Ω)p,P⁢u=u;
Nf : Lq1⁢(Ω)p→Lq0⁢(Ω),Nf⁢(v)⁢(x)=f⁢(x,v⁢(x));
J : Lq0⁢(Ω)→H−1⁢(Ω),J1⁢u=u.

Since J is compact one deduces that F:H01⁢(Ω)p→H−1⁢(Ω) is completely continuous.

We now check condition (3.8). For v∈H01⁢(Ω)p, one has

⟨F⁢(v),vp⟩=⟨J⁢Nf⁢P⁢(v),vp⟩=∫Ωvp⁢(x)⁢f⁢(x,v⁢(x))≤α⁢∫Ωvp⁢(x)2=α⁢|vp|L2⁢(Ω)2.

Hence the assumptions of Theorem 3.4 are fulfilled and the conclusion follows.   

In contrast with the general case of equations involving iterates of a linear operator A, the case of the Laplace operator is a special one due to the representation of the Laplacian Δ=∇⋅∇as a composition of two differential operators, the gradient and the divergence. This particularity allows nonlinear terms of semilinear equations also to depend on gradient. Thus, instead of problem (4.1) we can consider more generally the problem

{Δp⁢u=h+f⁢(x,u,Δ⁢u,…,Δp−1⁢u,∇u,∇Δ⁢u,…,∇Δp−1⁢u)in ⁢Ωu=Δ⁢u=…=Δp−1⁢u=0on ⁢∂Ω. (4.5)

Then looking to extend to this problem the results in Corollaries 4.1 and 4.2, the expression of constant θ in (3.3) should be completed by terms involving odd powers of 1/c (1/λ1). For example, if f:Ω×ℝp×ℝn⁢p→ℝ is such that

|f⁢(x,u,𝐮)−f⁢(x,v,𝐯)|≤∑i=1p(ai⁢|ui−vi|+bi⁢|𝐮i−𝐯i|)

for all u,v∈ℝp and 𝐮,𝐯∈(ℝn)p (where applied to vectors from ℝn, notation |⋅| stands for the Euclidian norm), then trying to follow the estimation made for (3.2) we arrive to the final sum

1c⁢∑i=1p(ai⁢|Δi−1⁢(u−v)|L2⁢(Ω)+bi⁢|∇Δi−1⁢(u−v)|L2⁢(Ω;ℝn)).

According to (3.5) we have

|Δi−1⁢w|L2⁢(Ω)≤1c2⁢(p−i)+1⁢|w|H,i=1,…,p,

which help in the estimation

|∇Δi−1⁢w|L2⁢(Ω;ℝn)=|Δi−1⁢w|H01⁢(Ω)=|Δi⁢w|H−1⁢(Ω)≤1c⁢|Δi⁢w|L2⁢(Ω)≤1c2⁢(p−i)⁢|w|H.

Then the analogue of (3.2) for the new operator

N0⁢(u):=Δ−p⁢f⁢(⋅,u,Δ⁢u,…,Δp−1⁢u,∇u,∇Δ⁢u,…,∇Δp−1⁢u),

is the estimate

|N0⁢(u)−N0⁢(v)|H≤∑i=1p(aic2⁢(p−i)+2+bic2⁢(p−i)+1)⁢|u−v|H.

Thus the contraction condition guaranteeing the existence and uniqueness of the solution of (4.5) is now

θ~:=∑i=1p(aic2⁢(p−i)+2+bic2⁢(p−i)+1)<1.

An analogue result to Corollary 4.2 can be established under the growth condition on f,

|f⁢(x,u,𝐮)|≤C+∑i=1p(ai⁢|ui|+bi⁢|𝐮i|)

and the same condition θ~<1 on the constants ai and bi.

References

  • [1] F. Bernis, J. Garcia-Azorebo and I. Peral, Existence and multiplicity of nontrivial solutions in semilinear critical problems of fourth order, Adv. Differential Equations 1 (1996), 210–240.
  • [2] M. Bhakta, Solutions to semilinear elliptic PDE’s with biharmonic operator and singular potential, Electronic J. Differential Equations, 2016 (2016), 261, 1–17.
  • [3] H. Brezis, Functional Analysis, Sobolev Spaces and Partial Differential Equations, Springer, New York, 2011.
  • [4] X. Cheng, Z. Feng and L. Wei, Existence and multiplicity of nontrivial solutions for a semilinear biharmonic equation with weight functions, Discrete Cont. Dyn. Syst. Ser. S, 14 (2021), 3067–3083.
  • [5] F. Gazzola, H.-C. Grunau and G. Sweers, Polyharmonic Boundary Value Problems, Springer, Berlin, 2009.
  • [6] L.V. Kantorovich and G.P. Akilov, Functional Analysis, Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1982.
  • [7] G. Lauricella, Integrazione dell’equazione Δ2⁢(Δ2⁢u)=0 in un campo di forma circolare, Atti Accad. Sci. Torino Cl. Sci. Fis. Mat. Natur. 31 (1895-96), p. 1010.
  • [8] E. Mathieu, Mémoire sur l’équation aux différences partielles du quatrième ordre Δ⁢Δ⁢u=0 et sur l’équilibre d’élasticité d’un corps solide, J. Math. Pures Appl. 2e série, 14 (1869), 378–421.
  • [9] M. Nicolescu, Opera matematică. Funcţii poliarmonice, Ed. Academiei, Bucureşti, 1980.
  • [10] M. Nicolescu, Les Fonctions Polyharmoniques, Actualité Sci. 331, Paris, Herman, 1936.
  • [11] M. Pérez-Llanos and A. Primo, Semilinear biharmonic problems with a singular term, J. Differential Equations 257 (2014), 3200–3225.
  • [12] R. Precup, Linear and Semilinear Partial Differential Equations, De Gruyter, Berlin, 2013.
  • [13] Ch. Riquier, Sur quelques problèmes relatifs à l’équation aux dérivées partielles Δn⁢u=0, J. Math. Pures Appl. (9) 5 (1926), 297–394.
  • [14] E. Zeidler, Applied Functional Analysis: Applications to Mathematical Physics, Springer, New York, 1995.

[1] F. BERNIS, J. GARCIA-AZOREBO, I. PERAL, Existence and multiplicity of nontrivial solutions in semilinear critical problems of fourth order, Adv. Differential Equations, 1, pp. 210–240, 1996.
[2] M. BHAKTA, Solutions to semilinear elliptic PDE’s with biharmonic operator and singular potential, Electronic J. Differential Equations, 2016, 261, pp. 1–17, 2016.
[3] H. BREZIS, Functional analysis, Sobolev spaces and partial differential equations, Springer, 2011.
[4] X. CHENG, Z. FENG, L. WEI, Existence and multiplicity of nontrivial solutions for a semilinear biharmonic equation with weight functions, Discrete Cont. Dyn. Syst. Ser. S, 14, pp. 3067–3083, 2021.
[5] F. GAZZOLA, H.-C. GRUNAU, G. SWEERS, Polyharmonic boundary value problems, Springer, 2009.
[6] L.V. KANTOROVICH, G.P. AKILOV, Functional analysis, Pergamon Press, 1982.
[7] G. LAURICELLA, Integrazione dell’equazione ∆2(∆2u) = 0 in un campo di forma circolare, Atti Accad. Sci. Torino Cl. Sci. Fis. Mat. Natur., 31, pp. 1010, 1895-96.
[8] E. MATHIEU, Memoire sur l’ equation aux diff erences partielles du quatrieme ordre  ∆∆u = 0 et sur l’equilibre d’ elasticite d’un  corps solide, J. Math. Pures Appl. 2e serie, 14, pp. 378–421, 1869.
[9] M. NICOLESCU, Opera matematica. Functii poliarmonice , Ed. Academiei, Bucuresti, 1980.
[10] M. NICOLESCU, Les fonctions polyharmoniques, Actualite Sci.  331, Herman, 1936.
[11] M. PEREZ-LLANOS, A. PRIMO, Semilinear biharmonic problems with a singular term, J. Differential Equations, 257, pp. 3200–3225, 2014.
[12] R. PRECUP, Linear and semilinear partial differential equations, De Gruyter, 2013.
[13] CH. RIQUIER, Sur quelques problemes relatifs a l’ equation aux derivees partielles  ∆nu = 0, J. Math. Pures Appl., 5, 9, pp. 297–394, 1926.
[14] E. ZEIDLER, Applied functional analysis: applications to mathematical physics, Springer, 1995

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