We discuss smooth changes of eigenvalues under perturbation of the boundary value problems given in the title. The simple eigenvalue criterion is developed in the setting of Banach spaces, so very general perturbations of both the differential equation and the boundary conditions are allowed. Further, we need no assumptions about self-adjointness of the original or perturbed problems. The discussion is concluded with the application of the simple eigenvalue criterion to two examples.

We consider the equation Δu = Vu in the half-space ${\open R}_ + ^d $, d ⩾ 2 where V has certain periodicity properties. In particular, we show that such equations cannot have non-trivial superexponentially decaying solutions. As an application this leads to a new proof for the absolute continuity of the spectrum of particular periodic Schrödinger operators. The equation Δu = Vu is studied as part of a broader class of elliptic evolution equations.

During the last fifty years not a few familiar and apparently quite uninteresting structures have all at once assumed unusual importance and arrested the attention of naturalists in all parts of the world. This is especially true of what used to be known as rudiments, of what we nowadays generally designate vestiges. Of all the known vestiges, the most familiar are perhaps the “splint” bones of the horse. For long the interest in these splints was extremely limited, but since it was shown that they correspond to the functional second and fourth metacarpals and metatarsals of other vertebrates they have attracted the notice of both comparative anatomists and palæozoologists, and are now invariably looked upon as affording strong evidence in support of the view that the horse has descended from polydaetylous ancestors.

Let $\Omega \subset \mathbb {R}^N$ ($N\geq 3$) be a $C^2$ bounded domain and $\Sigma \subset \partial \Omega$ be a $C^2$ compact submanifold without boundary, of dimension $k$, $0\leq k \leq N-1$. We assume that $\Sigma = \{0\}$ if $k = 0$ and $\Sigma =\partial \Omega$ if $k=N-1$. Let $d_{\Sigma }(x)=\mathrm {dist}\,(x,\Sigma )$ and $L_\mu = \Delta + \mu \,d_{\Sigma }^{-2}$, where $\mu \in {\mathbb {R}}$. We study boundary value problems ($P_\pm$) $-{L_\mu} u \pm |u|^{p-1}u = 0$ in $\Omega$ and $\mathrm {tr}_{\mu,\Sigma}(u)=\nu$ on $\partial \Omega$, where $p>1$, $\nu$ is a given measure on $\partial \Omega$ and $\mathrm {tr}_{\mu,\Sigma}(u)$ denotes the boundary trace of $u$ associated to $L_\mu$. Different critical exponents for the existence of a solution to ($P_\pm$) appear according to concentration of $\nu$. The solvability for problem ($P_+$) was proved in [3, 29] in subcritical ranges for $p$, namely for $p$ smaller than one of the critical exponents. In this paper, assuming the positivity of the first eigenvalue of $-L_\mu$, we provide conditions on $\nu$ expressed in terms of capacities for the existence of a (unique) solution to ($P_+$) in supercritical ranges for $p$, i.e. for $p$ equal or bigger than one of the critical exponents. We also establish various equivalent criteria for the existence of a solution to ($P_-$) under a smallness assumption on $\nu$.

Using the flow method, we prove some existence results for the problem of prescribing the mean curvature on the unit ball. More precisely, we prove that there exists a conformal metric on the unit ball such that its mean curvature is f, when f possesses certain reflection or rotation symmetry.

We study the behaviour at infinity, with respect to the spatial variable, of solutions to the magnetohydrodynamics equations in $\mathbb{R}^d$. We prove that if the initial magnetic field decays sufficiently fast, then the plasma flow behaves as a solution of the free non-stationary Navier–Stokes equations when $|x|\to\infty$, and that the magnetic field will govern the decay of the plasma, if it is poorly localized at the beginning of the evolution. Our main tools are new boundedness criteria for convolution operators in weighted spaces.

Relativity is the study of matter in motion, and the basis of a theory of relativity can be either physical, mathematical, or logical. It is physical if some of the elementary objects and relations are concepts derived from the external world and if certain of their properties are assumed as physically obvious. If, however, the elementary objects, etc. are defined as mathematical symbols and relations, and if the subsequent theorems are mathematical deductions from these definitions, then the theory may be described as mathematical. Lastly, the basis of a theory is logical if certain terms are undefined—and clearly stated as such—and if the theory is then developed strictly deductively from an explicit set of axioms and definitions. Analogous examples taken from geometry are the Euclidean, algebraic, and projective theories. The first, as developed by Euclid, has a physical basis, while the second is mathematical, a point being defined as an ordered set of numbers (co-ordinates) and a line as the class of points satisfying a linear equation. The third is logical, the undefined elements being point and line (an undefined class of points) and the axioms being those of incidence, extension, etc. Usually a physical theory comes first, to be followed by a mathematical and then by a logical theory, this last being so constructed that it includes previous theories when its undefined elements are replaced on the one hand by the conceptual physical objects and on the other hand by the symbolic mathematical objects. The construction of such a logical theory is not merely a matter of academic interest, for it can be regarded as an analysis of the previous theories. It tests, for example, the consistency and independence of their basic assumptions and definitions. It also indicates how a theory can be modified, with as little change as possible, so as to include some feature previously excluded. This can be particularly useful in the case of a physical theory which has been constructed to correspond as closely as possible to the external world, for such a theory may need continual modification to keep in step with observational data. For this reason the axioms of a logical theory should be not only consistent and independent but also simple, i.e. indivisible.

Lp -summands and Lp -projections in Banach spaces have been studied by E. Behrends, who showed that for a fixed value of p, l ≦ p ≦ ∞, p ≠ 2, any two Lp -projections on a given Banach space E commute. Here we introduce the notion of almost-Lp -projections, and we establish a result which generalises Behrends' theorem, while also simplifying its proof. Almost-Lp-projections are then applied to the study of small-bound isomorphisms of Bochner LP -spaces. It is shown that if the Banach space E satisfies a geometric condition which, in the finite-dimensional case, reduces to the absence of non-trivial Lp-summands, then for separable measure spaces, the existence of a small-bound isomorphism between Lp (λ1, E) and LP(λ2, E) implies that these Bochner spaces are, in fact, isometric.

We give here an abelian kernel (central) group extension sequence for calculating, for a non-simply-connected space X, the group of pointed self-homotopy-equivalence classes . This group extension sequence gives in terms of , where Xn is the nth stage of a Postnikov decomposition, and, in particular, determines up to extension for non-simplyconnected spaces X having at most two non-trivial homotopy groups in dimensions 1 and n. We give a simple geometric proof that the sequence splits in the case where is the generalised Eilenberg–McLane space corresponding to the action ϕ: π1 → aut πn, and give some information about the class of the extension in the general case.

A vector equation which gives the velocity of a vortex filament embedded in an inviscid incompressible flow is considered. It comprises terms representing effects from the localized self-induction and from the external flow. The initial value problem is proved to have at least a solution for a suitable external flow term.

The special unitary group SU(n) has the stable homotopy type of a wedge of n − 1 finite complexes. The ‘first’ of these complexes is ΣℂPn–1, which is well known to be indecomposable at the prime 2 whether n is finite or infinite. We show that the ‘second’ finite complex is again indecomposable at the prime 2 when n is finite, but splits into a wedge of two pieces when n is infinite.

We consider a non-autonomous competitive model with generalized functional responses for interaction among n species, the adult members of which are in competition. For each of the n species the model incorporates a distributed time delay which represents the time from birth to maturity of that species. Based on some comparison arguments, we discuss the permanence and extinction of the species. By virtue of the continuation theorem of coincidence degree theory, we prove the existence of a positive periodic solution. By means of constructing appropriate Lyapunov functionals, we obtain sufficient conditions for the uniqueness and the global stability of the periodic solution. Two examples are given to illustrate the feasibility of our main results.

Liouville theorems are obtained for general elliptic PDE-systems ℒU(x): = Σlɑl≦21Aα(x) əαU(x)=0 essentially under the assumption that ℒ satisfies a coerciveness estimate over .

We study the existence and uniqueness of non-negative solutions of the nonlinear parabolic equation

posed in Q = RN × (0, ∞) with general initial data u(x, 0) = u0(x) ≧ 0. We find optimal exponential growth conditions for existence of solutions. Similar conditions apply for uniqueness, but the growth rate is different. Such conditions strongly depart from the linear case m = 1, ut = Δu – u, and also from the purely diffusive case ut = Δum.

In this paper, we give some new examples of the energy gap phenomenon for functionals defined in Sobolev spaces. Our result is independent of that of Giaquinta, Modica and Soucek. We also give some new characterisations of Sobolev maps which can be approximated by smooth maps.

A new method for asymptotic summation of linear systems of difference equations is proposed and studied. It is based on the introduction of a certain summation equation that pinpoints sufficient conditions for asymptotic summation. These conditions serve as a framework from which new and old theorems follow. In particular the analogues of the fundamental theorems of Levinson and Hartman and Wintner are shown to follow from one and the same framework. Examples are given that are not amenable to other techniques.

We consider the existence and uniqueness of minimal invariant subtrees for abelian actions of groups on Λ-trees, and whether or not a minimal action is determined up to isomorphism by the hyperbolic length function. The main emphasis is on actions of end type. For a trivial action of end type, there is no minimal invariant subtree. However, if a finitely generated group has an action of end type, the action is nontrivial and there is a unique minimal invariant subtree. There are examples of infinitely generated groups with a nontrivial action of end type for which there is no minimal invariant subtree. These results can be used to study actions of cut type.

We are concerned with the following minimization problems, where Ω ⊂ RN, N > 4, is a smooth bounded domain, qc = 2N/(N − 4), ϕ ∈ C(Ω) ∩ Lqc(Ω) and . We show that, for ϕ ≢ 0, each infimum is achieved. Under suitable conditions on ϕ, we establish the following gap phenomenon, for q ≤ qc.

Moreover, we study the limit behaviour of the minimizers, as q goes to qc, in the case ϕ ∈ H(Ω).

We study the quasistatic behaviour of an elastoviscoplastic material submitted to a cyclic load. We prove the weak convergence of the solution of the stress evolution problem towards a periodical one when t → + ∞.

We obtain an explicit formula for the essential norm of a Hankel operator with its symbol in the space PC, which is the closure in L∞ of the space of piecewise continuous functions on the unit circle . It follows from this formula that functions in PC can be approximated as closely by functions in C, the continuous functions on the circle, as by functions in the much larger space H∞ + C. This is an example of the way in which properties of the Hardy spaces can be derived from properties of Hankel operators.