Pairs of nontrivial solutions to concave-linear-convex type elliptic problems

Abstract

We obtain a pair of nontrivial solutions for a class of concave-linear-convex type elliptic problems that are either critical or subcritical. The solutions we find are neither local minimizers nor of mountain pass type in general. They are higher critical points in the sense that they each have a higher critical group that is nontrivial. This fact is crucial for showing that our solutions are nontrivial. We also prove some intermediate results of independent interest on the localization and homotopy invariance of critical groups of functionals involving critical Sobolev exponents.