Topological Methods for Boundary Value Problems

A special session in 

Fourth International Conference on Dynamical Systems and Differential Equations

Wilmington, NC, USA, May 24-27, 2002

This session will concentrate on the use of topological methods in the study of various boundary value problems. This will include using degree theory and fixed point index theory to establish existence and multiplicity of positive solutions.

Organizers:

List of Confirmed Invited Speakers:

  •  Johnny L Henderson,  Auburn University, USA (cancelled)
  • Bevan Thompson, University of Queensland, AU (to be confirmed) (not attend)
  • Gennaro Infante, University of Glasgow, UK
  • Casey T. Cremins, University of Maryland, USA
  • Wenying Feng, Trent University, CA
  • Bryan Rynne, Heriot-Watt University, UK
  • Gheorghe Isac, Royal Military College of Canada, CA
  • Zhijun Zhang, Yantai University, P.R. China
  • Allan C. Peterson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA
  • R. Shivaji, Mississippi State University , USA
  •  John Baxley, Wake Forest University, USA
  • Santiago Cano Casanova , Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid, Spain
  • Ruyun Ma, Northwest Normal University, P. R. China
  • Zhaoli Liu,  Giessen University, Germany
  • Joshua Du, Kennesaw University, USA
  • Kenneth Dye, Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Company, USA

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                                      Titles and Abstracts

    Oscillation criterea for second order matrix dynamic equations on a time scale
                                            Lynn Erbe and Allan Peterson
                                         University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA

    Abstract: We obtain oscillation criteria for a second order self-adjoint
    matrix equation on a time scale in terms of the coefficient matrices and
    the graininess function. Our proofs use the associated Riccati equation.
    We illustrate our results with several examples.
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    Spectrum of Positively Homogeneous Operators and Applications
                                                       Wenying Feng
                     Departments of Computer Science and Mathematics, Trent University
                                        Peterborough, Ontario, Canada K9J 7B8

    Abstract: The spectral theory for nonlinear operators has been extensively studied by many authors. After the theory of Furi, Martelli and Vignoli, a new definition was inroduced by the author. Later, the work was generated to semilinear operators.
      In this paper, some results on the relationship between the eigenvalues and the spectrum of a positively homogeneous operators were obtained. Applying the results, we prove a theorem that gives a condition for a compact, positive operator to have a positive eigenvalue and eigenvector. The theorem can be used in the study of a second order differential equations with a three point boundary value conditions that has been studied recently by some authors.
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    On the Solvability of Implicit Complementarity problem and Implicit Variational Inequalities
         A Unified Approach and Implicit Projected Dynamical System
                                           G. Isac
                                       Department of Mathematics
                                       Royal Military College of Canada
                                       P. O. Box 17000 STN Forces
                                       Kingston, Ontario, Canada K7K 7B4
    Abstract: In this first part of this paper we will present a unified approach of the study of Implicit Complementary Problems and Implicit Variational Inequalities. This study is based on the concept of ''Exceptional Family of Elements'' for a function. This concept is obtained in this case using a kind of implicit Leray-Schauder alternative.
      In the second part of this paper we will present a study of solutions of  Implicit Complementary Problems and Implicit Variational Inequalities, from the dynamical point of view. This study is obtained using an implicit global projected dynamical system. This paper will be finished by comments and open problems.
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    Singular Nonlinear Boundary Value Problems with Multiple Positive Solutions
                                                 John V. Baxley and Philip T. Carroll
                                                    Department of Mathematics
                                                    Wake Forest University
                                                   Winston-Salem, NC  27109 USA
    Abstract: We extend recent results of Henderson and Thompson, Baxley and Haywood, and Graef, Qian, and Yang, which provided conditions on the nonlinear function f(y) in order that the boundary value problem (-1)^n y^{(2n)} = f(y), y^{(2k)}
    (0) = 0, y^{(2k)} (1) = 0, for k=0,... ,n-1 have multiple symmetric positive solutions.  Since such solutions must satisfy y^{(2k+1)} (1/2) =0, for k = 0, ..., n-1, we consider the more general  problem L(y) = f(y), where L is the nth iterate of the Sturm-Liouville  operator \dis -\frac{1}{w} (p y')', with boundary conditions y^{(2k)} (0)= 0, y^{(2k+1)} (b) = 0, b>0, for k = 0,...,n-1. The conditions we obtain allow singular behavior in the operator L at x=0. In the case w \equiv p \equiv 1, b=1/2, our conclusions reduce to the earlier results mentioned above.  Previous work using the Leggett-Williams fixed point theorem or a fixed point theorem  of Krasnosel'ski\u{i} has used properties of relevant Green's functions. Here we use a refined version of the same theorem of Krasnosel'ski\u{i}, but need no use of Green's functions to obtain the necessary estimates.
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                               Permanence under strong competition is possible
                                                                 Santiago Cano-Casanova
                                        Departamento de Matem\'atica Aplicada y Computaci\'on
                                                           Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid
                                                                       28015-Madrid, Spain
                                                                                     and
                                                                      Juli\'an L\'opez-G\'omez
                                                         Departamento de Matem\'atica Aplicada
                                                          Universidad Complutense de Madrid
                                                                        28040-Madrid, Spain
    Abstract: We analyze the limiting behavior of the positive solutions of a general class of sublinear elliptic weighted mixed boundary value problems as the amplitude of the positive part of the lower order terms of the differential operator blows up to infinity. The main result establishes that the positive solutions approximate zero within  the support of the positive part of the potential, whereas  they stabilize to the positive solution of a certain elliptic mixed boundary value problem on its complement. Further, we use this result for deriving some general principles in competing species dynamics. Precisely, we show that in the presence of a refuge region two competing species must coexist if their reproduction rates are sufficiently large, independently of the strength of the competition. It should be emphasized that these results allow measuring how large the reproduction rates should be for being permanent, providing us, simultaneously, with the limiting behavior of each of the species separately. Basically, when the pressure from the competitor grows the tackled species concentrates within its refuge. These results are substantial extensions of some pioneer results found by J. L\'opez-G\'omez in \cite[Section 4]{Lo95}. The main ingredients in deriving the above results are the continuous dependence of the principal eigenvalue with respect to a general class of perturbations of the domain around its Dirichlet boundary, recently proved in \cite{CL99}, and the continuous dependence of the positive solutions of the sublinear problem, coming from \cite{CL00}.
    \begin{thebibliography}{99}
    \bibitem{Lo95} J. L\'opez-G\'omez, {\it Permanence under strong competition}, World Scientific Series in Applied Analysis 4 (1995), 473-488.
    \bibitem{CL99} S. Cano-Casanova and J. L\'opez-G\'omez, {\it Properties of the principal eigenvalues of a general class of non-classical mixed boundary value problems}, J. Diff. Eqns. In Press.
    \bibitem{CL00} S. Cano-Casanova and J. L\'opez-G\'omez, {\it Varying domains in a general class of sublinear elliptic problems}. Submited.
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    An Existence Result on Positive Solutions for a Class of Semilinear Elliptic Systems
                                                       Ratnasingham Shivaji
                                                  W.L.Giles Distinguished Professor
                                                  Dept. of Mathematics and Statistics
                                                        Mississippi State University
                                                   Mississippi State, MS 39762,USA.
    Abstract: We consider the system
    \begin{equation*} \Delta u+\lambda f(v)&=&0,
    \quad x\in \Omega\\ \Delta v+\lambda g(u)&=&0, \quad x\in \Omega\\
    u=&0&=v, \quad x\in \partial\Omega,
    \end{equation*}
    where $\lambda$ is a positive parameter and $\Omega$ is a bounded domain.
    Assuming  $f(x)>L$, $g(x)>L$ for $x>K$ for some $L>0$ and $K>0$, and $\lim_{x\rightarrow\infty}\frac{f( Mg(x))}{x}=0$ for every $M>0$, we establish the existence of a large positive solution $(u,v)$
    for $\lambda$ large. In particular, we do not assume any monotonicty assumptions on $f$ or $g$ nor any sign conditions on $f(0)$ or $g(0)$.
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                         Positive solutions of differential equations with nonlinear boundary conditions
                                                        Gennaro Infante
                                                  Dipartimento Di Matematica, Universita Della Calabria
                                                              87036 Arcavacata Di Rende (CS), Italy
                                                                                     and
                                                   Department of Mathematics, University of Glasgow
                                                                        Glasgow G12 8QW, UK
    Abstract: Using the theory of fixed point index, we establish new results for some differential equations subject to nonlinear boundary conditions. We obtain existence of at least one or  several positive solutions.

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                       Multiple Positive Solutions of Conjugate Boundary Value Problems with Singularities
                                                                                  K. Q. Lan
                                                        Department of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science
                                                                            Ryerson University
                                                                            350 Victoria Street
                                                                            Toronto, Ontario
                                                                            Canada, M5B 2K3
    Abstract: We consider the existence of one or several nonzero positive solutions for a higher order nonlinear ordinary differential equation with conjugate boundary conditions. The conjugate boundary value problems can be changed  into a Hammerstein integral equation with a suitable kernel. We shall show that the kernel  has upper and lower bounds. This enables us not only to exhibit a new property of positive solutions for the conjugate boundary value problems but also to derive new results on the  conjugate boundary value problems from the well-known results on the existence of one or several positive solutions of Hammerstein integral equations with singularities obtained by the author recently. Our results generalize some known results where stronger conditions were imposed and the theory of fixed point index for compact maps defined on cones was used directly.
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Multiple positive solutions for nonlinear $m$-point boundary value problems
                                                                       Ruyun Ma
                                      Department of Mathematics, Northwest Normal University
                                           Lanzhou 730070, Gansu, People's Republic of China

    Abstract: In this paper, we consider the existence  and multiplicity of positive solutions for the $m$-boundary value problems
                                         (p(t)u')' -q(t) u+ f(t, u)=0,  0<t<1
                                a u(0)- b p(0) u'(0)=\sum^{m-2}_{i=1}\alpha_i u(\xi_i),
                                c u(1)+ d p(1) u'(1)=\sum^{m-2}_{i=1}\beta_i u(\xi_i),
    where  $p\in C([0,1],(0,\infty))$, $q\in C([0,1], [0,\infty))$ $a, b, c, d\in [0,\infty)$, $\xi_i\in (0,1)$, $\alpha_i, \; \beta_i\in [0,\infty)$ (for $i\in \{1,\cdots m-2\}$) are given constants satisfying some suitable conditions. Our results extend some of the existing literature on two-point
     boundary value problem. Our proofs are based on fixed point theorem in cones.

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             On the existence of  explosive solutions for semilinear elliptic problems
                                                                      Zhijun Zhang
                                        Department of Mathematics and Information Science,
                                            Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, 264005,
                                                            People' Republic of China
    Abstract: TBA

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         Remarks on positive solutions of some 3-point boundary value problems
                                                                  J. R. L. Webb
                                                            Department of Mathematics
                                                                  University of Glasgow
                                                                 Glasgow G12 8QW, UK
    Abstract: Some recent work onexistence of one or of multiple solutions of a nonlinear second order differential equation with nonlocal boundary  conditions will be discussed by the method of fixed point index. An  optimal value will be given for a constant that appears in the  definition of the cone being used and in some of the other  hypotheses.

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         Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability Waves and Upstream Propagating Acoustic Waves
                                           in Supersonic Multiple Jets

                                                                     Joshua Z. Du
                                                            Department of Mathematics
                                                              Kennesaw State University
                                                                  Kennesaw, GA 30144 USA
                                                                                  and
                                                                        Kenneth Dye
                                                      Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Company
                                                             Learning and Development
                                                                          D/RT4M, USA

    Abstract: Jet aircraft were introduced right after that the Second World War.  Shortly after that, jet noise prediction and reduction became an  important research topic. Because of the need for large thrust, many  high performance military aircraft are propelled by two or more jet  engines housed close to each other.

    Three Physics Laws, Conservation of Mass, Momentum and Energy, in differentiation form are employed to formulate the Kelvin-Helmholtz  Instability problem of supersonic triple jets. The general solution of  the system about pressure of the jets and the dispersion relation for  instability waves about jet noise are derived.

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                               Half-eigenvalues --- an alternative approach to the Fucik spectrum
                                    for semilinear  problems with jumping non-linearities
                                                                                Bryan Rynne
                                                                      Department of Mathematics
                                                                         Heriot-Watt University
                                                                        Edinburgh EH14 4A, UK
    Abstract: We consider the boundary value problem
    \begin{equation}
    Lu(x)=f(x,u(x))+h(x),\quad x\in(0,\pi),
    \end{equation}
    where  $L$ is a second order Sturm-Liuouville operator and $f$ is a Caratheodory function with limits
    $\zeta_{\pm}(x)=\lim_{\xi\to\pm\infty} f(x,\xi)/\xi$
    (and $\zeta_{\pm}\in L^\infty(0,\pi)$).
    These limits may differ, so $f$ is termed {\em jumping}.

    Existence and non-existence conditions for (1) are usually expressed in terms of the Fucik spectrum
    ($(\alpha,\beta) \in R2$ is in the {\em Fucik spectrum} if  $L u=\alpha u^+ -\beta u^-$ has a solution $u\ne 0$
    (where $u^{\pm}(x)=\max\{\pm u(x),0\}$)). However, more general results can be obtained using a
    different spectrum.

    A number $\lambda\in R$ is a {\em half-eigenvalue} if  $Lu=\zeta_+ u^+ -\zeta_- u^-  +\lambda u$
    has a solution $u\ne 0$. Now, the equation
    \begin{equation}  \label{hlslvble.eq}
    L u=\zeta_+  u^+ -\zeta_- u^-  +h,
    \end{equation}
    is a `limiting' form of (1), and the solvability properties of (2) depend on the location of the point $\lambda=0$ relative to the set of half-eigenvalues. Corresponding solvability properties of (1) can then be obtained by perturbation.
    These solvability results can also be extended to some cases where  the limits $\zeta_{\pm}$ do not exist.

    If $\zeta_+\equiv\alpha$, $\zeta_-\equiv\beta$ then $(\alpha,\beta)$ lies in the Fucik spectrum if and only if $0$ is
    a half-eigenvalue, and the solvability results obtained from these concepts coincide. However, if $\zeta_{\pm}$ are not constant then the half-eigenvalue concept yields more general solvability results than the Fucik spectrum, which cannot easily
    incorporate the behaviour of $\zeta_{\pm}$.