Existence and approximation of solutions of nonlinear boundary value problems

In chapter two, we establish new results for periodic solutions of some second order non-linear boundary value problems. We develop the upper and lower solutions method to show existence of solutions in the closed set defined by the well ordered lower and upper solutions. We develop the method of quasilinearization to approximate our problem by a sequence of solutions of linear problems that converges to the solution of the original problem quadratically. Finally, to show the applicability of our technique, we apply the theoretical results to a medical problem namely, a biomathematical model of blood flow in an intracranial aneurysm. In chapter three we study some nonlinear boundary value problems with nonlinear nonlocal three-point boundary conditions. We develop the method of upper and lower solutions to establish existence results. We show that our results hold for a wide range of nonlinear problems. We develop the method of quasilinearization and show that there exist monotone sequences of solutions of linear problems that converges to the unique solution of the nonlinear problems. We show that the sequences converge quadratically to the solutions of the problem in the C1 norm. We generalize the technique by introducing an auxiliary function to allow weaker hypotheses on the nonlinearity involved in the differential equations. In chapter four, we extend the results of chapter three to nonlinear problems with linear four point boundary conditions. We generalize previously existence results studied with constant lower and upper solutions. We show by an example that our results are more general. We develop the method of quasilinearization and its generalization for the four point problems which to the best of our knowledge is the first time the method has been applied to such problems. In chapter five, we extend the results to second order problems with nonlinear integral boundary conditions in two separate cases. In the first case we study the upper and lower solutions method and the generalized method of quasilinearization for the Integral boundary value problem with the nonlinearity independent of the derivative. While in the second case we show the nonlinearity to depend also on the first derivative. Finally, in chapter six, we study multiplicity results for three point nonlinear boundary value problems. We use the method of upper and lower solutions and degree arguments to show the existence of at least two solutions for certain range of a parameter r and no solution for other range of the parameter. We show by an example that our results are more general than the results studied previously. We also study existence of at least three solutions in the pressure of two lower and two upper solutions for some three-point boundary value problems. In one problem, we employ a condition weaker than the well known Nagumo condition which allows the nonlinearity f(t, x, x’) to grow faster than quadratically with respect to x’ in some cases

Stability and exact multiplicity of periodic solutions of Duffing equations with cubic nonlinearities

We study the stability and exact multiplicity of periodic solutions of the Duffing equation with cubic nonlinearities. We obtain sharp bounds for h such that the equation has exactly three ordered T-periodic solutions. Moreover, when h is within these bounds, one of the three solutions is negative, while the other two are positive. The middle solution is asymptotically stable, and the remaining two are unstable.Comment: Keywords: Duffing equation; Periodic solution; Stabilit

A computer-assisted existence proof for Emden's equation on an unbounded L-shaped domain

We prove existence, non-degeneracy, and exponential decay at infinity of a non-trivial solution to Emden's equation $-\Delta u = | u |^3$ on an unbounded $L$-shaped domain, subject to Dirichlet boundary conditions. Besides the direct value of this result, we also regard this solution as a building block for solutions on expanding bounded domains with corners, to be established in future work. Our proof makes heavy use of computer assistance: Starting from a numerical approximate solution, we use a fixed-point argument to prove existence of a near-by exact solution. The eigenvalue bounds established in the course of this proof also imply non-degeneracy of the solution

Particle production in field theories coupled to strong external sources I. Formalism and main results

We develop a formalism for particle production in a field theory coupled to a strong time-dependent external source. An example of such a theory is the Color Glass Condensate. We derive a formula, in terms of cut vacuum-vacuum Feynman graphs, for the probability of producing a given number of particles. This formula is valid to all orders in the coupling constant. The distribution of multiplicities is non--Poissonian, even in the classical approximation. We investigate an alternative method of calculating the mean multiplicity. At leading order, the average multiplicity can be expressed in terms of retarded solutions of classical equations of motion. We demonstrate that the average multiplicity at {\it next-to-leading order} can be formulated as an initial value problem by solving equations of motion for small fluctuation fields with retarded boundary conditions. The variance of the distribution can be calculated in a similar fashion. Our formalism therefore provides a framework to compute from first principles particle production in proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions beyond leading order in the coupling constant and to all orders in the source density. We also provide a transparent interpretation (in conventional field theory language) of the well known Abramovsky-Gribov-Kancheli (AGK) cancellations. Explicit connections are made between the framework for multi-particle production developed here and the framework of Reggeon field theory.Comment: 44 pages, 19 postscript figures, version to appear in Nucl. Phys.

Multiple positive solutions for a superlinear problem: a topological approach

We study the multiplicity of positive solutions for a two-point boundary value problem associated to the nonlinear second order equation $u''+f(x,u)=0$. We allow $x \mapsto f(x,s)$ to change its sign in order to cover the case of scalar equations with indefinite weight. Roughly speaking, our main assumptions require that $f(x,s)/s$ is below $\lambda_{1}$ as $s\to 0^{+}$ and above $\lambda_{1}$ as $s\to +\infty$. In particular, we can deal with the situation in which $f(x,s)$ has a superlinear growth at zero and at infinity. We propose a new approach based on the topological degree which provides the multiplicity of solutions. Applications are given for $u'' + a(x) g(u) = 0$, where we prove the existence of $2^{n}-1$ positive solutions when $a(x)$ has $n$ positive humps and $a^{-}(x)$ is sufficiently large.Comment: 36 pages, 3 PNG figure

Existence, localization and multiplicity results for nonlinear and functional

In this thesis several problems are addressed. The problems considered vary from second order problems up to high order problems where generaliza- tions to nth order are studied. Such problems range from problems without functional dependence up to problems where the functional dependence is featured both in the equation and on the boundary conditions. Functional boundary conditions include most of the classical conditions as multipoint cases, conditions with delay and/or advances, nonlocal or in- tegral, with maximum or minimum arguments,... Existence, nonexistence, multiplicity and localization results are then discussed in accordance with these conditions. The method used is the lower and upper solutions combined with di¤erent techniques (degree theory, Nagumo condition, iterative technique, Green s function) to obtain such results. Several applications are studied such as the periodic oscillations of the axis of a satellite and conjugate boundary value problems, to emphasize the applicability of the method used; RESUMO:Nesta tese, intitulada em português, Resultados de existência, localiza- ção e multiplicidade para problemas não lineares e funcionais de ordem su- perior com valores na fronteira , diferentes problemas são abordados. Estes problemas variam desde problemas de segunda ordem até problemas de or- dem superior, onde generalizações de ordem n são feitas e onde os problemas apresentados variam desde o caso em que não existe dependência funcional até aos em que esta dependência funcional está presente tanto na equação como nas condições de fronteira. Sobre estas condições, que incluem a maioria das condições clássicas, re- sultados de existência, não existência, multiplicidade e localização de solução são discutidos de acordo com estas condições. O método utilizado é o método da sub e sobre-solução combinado com diferentes técnicas. Várias aplicações são estudadas, nomeadamente as oscilações periódicas do eixo de um satélite e problemas conjugados, de forma a dar ênfase à aplicabilidade do método utilizado

A positive fixed point theorem with applications to systems of Hammerstein integral equations

We present new criteria on the existence of fixed points that combine some monotonicity assumptions with the classical fixed point index theory. As an illustrative application, we use our theoretical results to prove the existence of positive solutions for systems of nonlinear Hammerstein integral equations. An example is also presented to show the applicability of our results.Comment: 11 page

Three nontrivial solutions for the p-Laplacian Neumann problems with a concave nonlinearity near the origin

We consider a nonlinear Neumann problem driven by the p- Laplacian, with a right-hand side nonlinearity which is concave near the origin. Using variational techniques, combined with the method of upper-lower solutions and with Morse theory, we show that the problem has at least three nontrivial smooth solutions, two of which have a constant sign (one positive and one negative).FCTPOCI/MAT/55524/200

A short course on positive solutions of systems of ODEs via fixed point index

We shall firstly study the existence of one positive solution of a model problem for one equation via the classical Krasnosel'ski\u\i{} fixed-point theorem. Secondly we investigate how to handle this problem via the fixed point index theory for compact maps. Thirdly we illustrate how this approach can be tailored in order to deal with non-trivial solutions for systems of ODEs subject to local BCs. The case of nonlocal and nonlinear BCs will also be investigated. Finally we present some applications to the existence of radial solutions of some systems of elliptic PDEs.Comment: 52 pages 13 figure