Existence and multiplicity of heteroclinic solutions for a non-autonomous boundary eigenvalue problem

In this paper we investigate the boundary eigenvalue problem x''-b(c,t,x)x'+g(t,x)=0, x(-∞)=0, x(+∞)=1 depending on the real parameter c. We take the function b continuous and positive and assume that g is bounded and becomes active and positive only when it exceeds a threshold value theta in (0,1). At the point theta we allow g to have a jump. Additional monotonicity properties are required, when needed. Our main discussion deals with the non-autonomous case. In this context we prove the existence of a continuum of values for which this problem is solvable and we estimate the interval of such admissible values. In the autonomous case, we show its solvability for at most one c*. In the special case when b=c+h(x) with h continuous, we also give a non-existence result, for any real c. Our methods combine comparison-type arguments, both for first and second order dynamics, with a shooting technique. Some applications of the obtained results are included.

In this paper we investigate the boundary eigenvalue problem (equation presented) depending on the real parameter c. We take β continuous and positive and assume that g is bounded and becomes active and positive only when x exceeds a threshold value θ ∈]0,1[. At the point θ we allow g(t, · ) to have a jump. Additional monotonicity properties are required, when needed. Our main discussion deals with the non-autonomous case. In this context we prove the existence of a continuum of values c for which this problem is solvable and we estimate the interval of such admissible values. In the autonomous case, we show its solvability for at most one c*. In the special case when β reduces to c + h(x) with h continuous, we also give a non-existence result, for any real c. Our methods combine comparison-type arguments, both for first and second order dynamics, with a shooting technique. Some applications of the obtained results are included.