Eigenvalue estimates and maximum principle for Lane-Emden systems, and applications to poly-Laplacian equations

Abstract

This paper deals with explicit upper and lower bounds for principal eigenvalues and the maximum principle associated to generalized Lane-Emden systems (GLE systems, for short). Regarding the bounds, we generalize the upper estimate of Berestycki, Nirenberg and Varadhan [Comm. Pure Appl. Math. (1994), 47-92] for the first eigenvalue of linear scalar problems on general domains to the case of strongly coupled GLE systems with $m \geqslant 2$ equations on smooth domains. The explicit lower estimate we obtain is also used to derive a maximum principle to GLE systems relying in terms of quantitative ingredients. Furthermore, as applications of the previous results, upper and lower estimates for the first eigenvalue of weighted poly-Laplacian eigenvalue problems with $L^p$ weights $(p>n)$ and Navier boundary condition are obtained. Moreover, a strong maximum principle depending on the domain and the weight function for scalar problems involving the poly-Laplacian operator is also established.