Global solution curves for a class of elliptic systems

Abstract

We study curves of positive solutions for a system of elliptic equations of Hamiltonian type on a unit ball. We give conditions for all positive solutions to lie on global solution curves, allowing us to use the analysis similar to the case of one equation, as developed in P. Korman, Y. Li and T. Ouyang [An exact multiplicity result for a class of semilinear equations, Commun. PDE 22 (1997), pp. 661–684.] (see also T. Ouyang and J. Shi [Exact multiplicity of positive solutions for a class of semilinear problems, II, J. Diff. Eqns. 158(1) (1999), pp. 94–151].). As an application, we obtain some non-degeneracy and uniqueness results. For the one-dimensional case we also prove the positivity for the linearized problem, resulting in more detailed results.

Keywords:

• elliptic systems
• global solution curves
• uniqueness and non-degeneracy of solutions

AMS Subject Classification:

• 35J47

Acknowledgement

P. Korman was supported in part by the Taft Faculty Grant at the University of Cincinnati.