| Citation: | Man Xu, Yanyun Li, Ting Wang. BIFURCATION OF RADIAL POSITIVE SOLUTIONS OF THE DIRICHLET PROBLEM FOR THE PRESCRIBED MEAN CURVATURE EQUATION IN THE FRIEDMANN-LEMAîTRE-ROBERTSON-WALKER SPACETIME[J]. Journal of Applied Analysis & Computation, 2026, 16(3): 1552-1572. doi: 10.11948/20250207 |
In this paper, we investigate the bifurcation of radial positive solutions of the nonlinear Dirichlet problem associated with the prescribed mean curvature equation in the Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker spacetime
$ \left\{ \begin{aligned} &-\mathrm{div}\Big(\frac{\nabla v}{\sqrt{1-|\nabla v |^2}}\Big)=\lambda\Big(\frac{Nf'(\varphi^{-1}(v))}{\sqrt{1-|\nabla v|^2}}-Nf(\varphi^{-1}(v))H(|x|, \varphi^{-1}(v))\Big), \ \text{in}\ \mathcal{B}, \\ &v=0, \ \ \text{on}\ \partial \mathcal{B}, \ \end{aligned} \right. $
where $ \mathcal{B} $ is the unit ball in $ \mathbb{R}^{N} $, $ \lambda $ is a positive parameter, the function $ f $ belongs to $ C^{\infty}(I) $ and satisfies $ f>0 $, $ I $ is an open interval in $ \mathbb{R} $, $ \varphi $ is the function defined by $ \varphi(s)=\int_{0}^s\frac{dt}{f(t)} $, $ \varphi^{-1} $ represents the inverse function of $ \varphi $, $ |\cdot| $ denotes the Euclidean norm in $ \mathbb{R}^{N} $, and the function $ H:[0, 1]\times I\to\mathbb{R} $ is continuous, which is referred to as the mean curvature function. Our findings demonstrate the existence of at least one, two or three radial positive solutions to the aforementioned problem. The proofs are mainly based on the directions of the bifurcation.
| [1] | R. Bartnik and L. Simon, Spacelike hypersurfaces with prescribed boundary values and mean curvature, Comm. Math. Phys., 1982–1983, 87, 131–152. |
| [2] | C. Bereanu, D. de la Fuente, A. Romero and P. J. Torres, Existence and multiplicity of entire radial spacelike graphs with prescribed mean curvature function in certain Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker spacetimes, Commun. Contemp. Math., 2017, 19, 1–18. |
| [3] | C. Bereanu, P. Jebelean and P. J. Torres, Multiple positive radial solutions for a Dirichlet problem involving the mean curvature operator in Minkowski space, J. Funct. Anal., 2013, 265, 644–659. |
| [4] | C. Bereanu and J. Mawhin, Existence and multiplicity results for some nonlinear problems with singular $\phi$-Laplacian, J. Differential Equations, 2007, 243, 536–557. |
| [5] | C. Bereanu and P. J. Torres, A variational approach for the Neumann problem in some FLRW spacetimes, Adv. Nonlinear Stud., 2019, 19(2), 413–423. |
| [6] | D. Bonheure and A. Iacopetti, A sharp gradient estimate and $W^{2,q}$ regularity for the prescribed mean curvature equation in the Lorentz-Minkowski space, Arch. Ration. Mech. Anal., 2023, 247(5), 1–44. |
| [7] | M. Born, Modified field equations with a finite radius of the electron, Nature, 1933, 132, 282. |
| [8] | A. Boscaggin and G. Feltrin, Positive periodic solutions to an indefinite Minkowski-curvature equation, J. Differential Equations, 2020, 269, 5595–5645. |
| [9] | A. Boscaggin, G. Feltrin and F. Zanolin, Positive solutions for a Minkowski-curvature equation with indefinite weight and super-exponential nonlinearity, Commun. Contemp. Math., 2023, 25(4), 1–20. |
| [10] | N. B. Brubaker and J. A. Pelesko, Non-linear effects on canonical MEMS models, European J. Appl. Math., 2011, 22(5), 455–470. |
| [11] | Y. Choquet-Bruhat, General Relativity and the Einstein Equations, Oxford University Press, 2009. |
| [12] | A. Cabada, P. Jebelean and C. Serban, Dirichlet systems with discrete relativistic operator, Bull. Lond. Math. Soc., 2024, 56(3), 1149–1168. |
| [13] | E. Calabi, Examples of Bernstein problems for some nonlinear equations, Proc. Sympos. Pure Math., 1970, 15, 223–230. |
| [14] | S. Cano-Casanova, J. López-Gómez and K. Takimoto, A quasilinear parabolic perturbation of the linear heat equation, J. Differential Equations, 2012, 252(1), 323–343. |
| [15] | S.-Y. Cheng and S.-T. Yau, Maximal spacelike hypersurfaces in the Lorentz-Minkowski spaces, Ann. of Math., 1976, 104, 407–419. |
| [16] | I. Coelho, C. Corsato, F. Obersnel and P. Omari, Positive solutions of the Dirichlet problem for the one-dimensional Minkowski-curvature equation, Adv. Nonlinear Stud., 2012, 12, 621–638. |
| [17] | C. Corsato, F. Obersnel, P. Omari and S. Rivetti, Positive solutions of the Dirichlet problem for the prescribed mean curvature equation in Minkowski space, J. Math. Anal. Appl., 2013, 405, 227–239. |
| [18] | G. Dai, Bifurcation and positive solutions for problem with mean curvature operator in Minkowski space, Calc. Var. Partial Differential Equations, 2016, 55(4), 1–17. |
| [19] | G. Dai, Bifurcation and nonnegative solutions for problems with mean curvature operator on general domain, Indiana Univ. Math. J., 2018, 67, 2103–2121. |
| [20] | G. Dai, Global structure of one-sign solutions for problem with mean curvature operator, Nonlinearity, 2018, 31, 5309–5328. |
| [21] |
G. Dai, X. Han and R. Ma, Unilateral global bifurcation and nodal solutions for the $p$-Laplacian with sign-changing weight, Complex Var. Elliptic Equ., 2014, 59, 847–862.
$p$-Laplacian with sign-changing weight" target="_blank">Google Scholar |
| [22] | G. Dai, A. Romero and P. J. Torres, Global bifurcation of solutions of the mean curvature spacelike equation in certain Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker spacetimes, J. Differential Equations, 2018, 264, 7242–7269. |
| [23] | G. Dai and J. Wang, Nodal solutions to problem with mean curvature operator in Minkowski space, Differential Integral Equations, 2017, 30(5–6), 463–480. |
| [24] | A. Friedmann, On the curvature of space, translated from the 1922 German original, Gen. Relativity Gravitation, 1999, 31, 1991–2000. |
| [25] | D. de la Fuente, A. Romero and P. J. Torres, Radial solutions of the Dirichlet problem for the prescribed mean curvature equation in a Robertson-Walker spacetime, Adv. Nonlinear Stud., 2015, 15, 171–181. |
| [26] | R. Gaines, Difference equations associated with boundary value problems for second order nonlinear ordinary differential equations, SIAM J. Numer. Anal., 1974, 11, 411–434. |
| [27] | S.-Y. Huang, Classification and evolution of bifurcation curves of semipositone problem with Minkowski-curvature operator and its applications, J. Differential Equations, 2024, 400, 278–313. |
| [28] | S.-Y. Huang and S.-H. Wang, Bifurcation curves for the one-dimensional perturbed Gelfand problem with the Minkowski-curvature operator, J. Differential Equations, 2025, 416, 700–726. |
| [29] | K.-C. Hung, Y.-H. Cheng, S.-H. Wang and C.-H. Chuang, Exact multiplicity and bifurcation diagrams of positive solutions of a one-dimensional multiparameter prescribed mean curvature problem, J. Differential Equations, 2014, 257(9), 3272–3299. |
| [30] | P. Jebelean, R. Precup and J. Rodríguez-López, Positive radial solutions for Dirichlet problems in the ball, Nonlinear Anal. TMA, 2024, 240, 1–16. |
| [31] | Y.-H. Lee, I. Sim and R. Yang, Repeated $S$-shaped and $\Sigma $-shaped bifurcation curves for the one-dimensional non-autonomous Minkowski-curvature problem, J. Math. Anal. Appl., 2024, 539(2), 1–17. |
| [32] | H. Luo and G. Dai, Global structure of a nodal solutions set of mean curvature equation in static spacetime, Acta Math. Sci. Ser. B (Engl. Ed.), 2022, 42, 2078–2086. |
| [33] |
R. Ma and Y. An, Global structure of positive solutions for superlinear second order $m$-point boundary value problems, Topol. Methods Nonlinear Anal., 2009, 34, 279–290.
$m$-point boundary value problems" target="_blank">Google Scholar |
| [34] | R. Ma and Y. An, Global structure of positive solutions for nonlocal boundary value problems involving integral conditions, Nonlinear Anal., 2009, 71, 4364–4376. |
| [35] | R. Ma, H. Gao and Y. Lu, Global structure of radial positive solutions for a prescribed mean curvature problem in a ball, J. Funct. Anal., 2016, 270, 2430–2455. |
| [36] | R. Ma, Z. He and X. Su, $S$-shaped component of nodal solutions for problem involving one-dimension mean curvature operator, Czechoslovak Math. J., 2023, 73(2), 321–333. |
| [37] | R. Ma and M. Xu, Connected components of positive solutions for a Dirichlet problem involving the mean curvature operator in Minkowski space, Discrete Contin. Dyn. Syst. Ser. B, 2019, 24(6), 2701–2718. |
| [38] | R. Ma and M. Xu, $S$-shaped connected component for a nonlinear Dirichlet problem involving mean curvature operator in one-dimension Minkowski space, Bull. Korean Math. Soc., 2018, 55(6), 1891–1908. |
| [39] | R. Ma, Z. Zhao and X. Su, Infinitely many sign-changing solutions of the Neumann problem in some FLRW spacetimes, J. Math. Anal. Appl., 2023, 526(2), 1–17. |
| [40] | R. Ma, Z. Zhao and X. Su, Global structure of positive and sign-changing periodic solutions for the equations with Minkowski-curvature operator, Adv. Nonlinear Stud., 2024, 24(3), 775–792. |
| [41] | J. Mawhin and P. J. Torres, Prescribed mean curvature graphs with Neumann boundary conditions in some FLRW spacetimes, J. Differential Equations, 2016, 261, 7145–7156. |
| [42] | B. O'Neill, Semi-Riemannian Geometry with Application to Relativity, Academic Press, 1983. |
| [43] | H. Pan and R. Xing, Exact multiplicity results for a one-dimensional prescribed mean curvature problem related to MEMS models, Nonlinear Anal. Real World Appl., 2012, 13(5), 2432–2445. |
| [44] | H. P. Robertson, Kinematics and world structure, Astrophys. J., 1935, 82, 284–301. |
| [45] | P. J. Torres, The prescribed mean curvature problem with Neumann boundary conditions in FLRW spacetimes, Rend. Istit. Mat. Univ. Trieste, 2017, 49, 19–25. |
| [46] | A. E. Treibergs, Entire spacelike hypersurfaces of constant mean curvature in Minkowski space, Invent. Math., 1982, 66, 39–56. |
| [47] | M. Xu and R. Ma, Nonspurious solutions of the Dirichlet problem for the prescribed mean curvature spacelike equation in a Friedmann-Lemaître-Robertson-Walker spacetime, Rocky Mountain J. Math., 2023, 53(4), 1291–1311. |
| [48] | R. Yang, Y.-H. Lee and I. Sim, Bifurcation of nodal radial solutions for a prescribed mean curvature problem on an exterior domain, J. Differential Equations, 2020, 268(8), 4464–4490. |
| [49] | F. Ye, S. Yu and C. Tang, Global bifurcation of one-signed radial solutions for Minkowski-curvature equations involving indefinite weight and non-differentiable nonlinearities, J. Math. Anal. Appl., 2024, 540(1), 1–16. |
| [50] | X. Zhang and M. Feng, Bifurcation diagrams and exact multiplicity of positive solutions of one-dimensional prescribed mean curvature equation in Minkowski space, Commun. Contemp. Math., 2019, 21, 1–17. |
| [51] | Z. Zhao and R. Ma, Global bifurcation of positive solutions of a quasilinear indefinite Neumann problem in some FLRW spacetimes, J. Math. Phys., 2023, 64(7), 1–14. |