On Noncoercive (p, q)-Equations

Abstract

We consider a nonlinear Dirichlet problem driven by a (p, q)-Laplace differential operator (1 < q < p). The reaction is (p - 1)-linear near +/-infinity and the problem is noncoercive. Using variational tools and truncation and comparison techniques together with critical groups, we produce five nontrivial smooth solutions all with sign information and ordered. In the particular case when q = 2, we produce a second nodal solution for a total of six nontrivial smooth solutions all with sign information.