Normalized groundstates for mixed (p,2)-Laplacian equations in mathbb R² with exponential critical growth
Pith reviewed 2026-05-20 03:33 UTC · model grok-4.3
The pith
Normalized groundstates exist for any mass m>0 in mixed (p,2)-Laplacian equations with exponential critical growth, independent of the sign of λ.
A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.
Core claim
By introducing a refined Moser iteration technique adapted to exponential critical growth, the Pohozaev identity is established for weak solutions under the mere assumption of C_loc^{1,α}-regularity. Combining constrained minimization on the Pohozaev manifold within a closed L^2-ball with a minimax characterization then yields the existence of normalized groundstates for any prescribed mass m>0, and this holds independently of the sign of the Lagrange multiplier λ.
What carries the argument
Refined Moser iteration adapted to exponential critical growth that yields the Pohozaev identity from C_loc^{1,α} regularity, enabling constrained minimization on the Pohozaev manifold inside a closed L^2 ball.
If this is right
- Normalized groundstates exist for every positive mass m.
- The existence result holds whether the Lagrange multiplier λ is positive or negative.
- The Pohozaev identity holds for weak solutions under only local C^{1,α} regularity.
- Compactness is restored for the mixed operator despite the exponential critical growth.
Where Pith is reading between the lines
- The same iteration-plus-manifold strategy may apply to other mixed or nonlocal operators with exponential nonlinearities.
- The sign-independence of λ opens the door to studying orbital stability of these groundstates.
- Numerical approximation of the minimizers could verify the predicted mass dependence for concrete choices of f and p.
Load-bearing premise
Weak solutions possess local C^{1,α} regularity so the refined Moser iteration can produce the Pohozaev identity.
What would settle it
A concrete weak solution that is not locally C^{1,α} and violates the Pohozaev identity, or a specific mass value m for which no critical point exists on the constrained Pohozaev manifold.
read the original abstract
We investigate normalized groundstates for mixed $(p,2)$-Laplacian equations \begin{align*} \begin{cases} -\Delta_p u-\Delta u+\lambda u=f(u) & \text{in } \mathbb{R}^2, \displaystyle \int_{\mathbb{R}^2}|u|^2\,\mathrm{d}x=m, u\in H^1(\mathbb{R}^2)\cap D^{1,p}(\mathbb{R}^2), \end{cases} \end{align*} where $\Delta_p$ denotes the $p$-Laplacian with $1<p<2$, $\lambda\in\mathbb{R}$ represents a Lagrange multiplier and the nonlinerity $f$ exhibits exponential critical growth. Compared to the single-Laplacian case, the lack of regularity here precludes the Pohozaev identity, and the exponential critical growth severely compromises the restoration of compactness. To address these issues, we introduce a refined Moser iteration technique adapted to exponential critical growth, which establishes the Pohozaev identity for weak solutions under the mere assumption of $C_{\mathrm{loc}}^{1,\alpha}$-regularity. By combining constrained minimization on the Pohozaev manifold within a closed $L^2$-ball with a minimax characterization, we prove the existence of normalized groundstates for any prescribed mass $m>0$. Notably, our approach works independently of the sign of the Lagrange multiplier $\lambda$, thereby surmounting the fundamental barrier in recovering compactness for mixed Laplacian problems.
Editorial analysis
A structured set of objections, weighed in public.
Referee Report
Summary. The manuscript proves existence of normalized groundstates for the mixed (p,2)-Laplacian equation -Δ_p u - Δu + λu = f(u) in R^2 with ∫|u|^2 = m and exponential critical growth on f, for any m>0 and independently of the sign of λ. The strategy relies on a refined Moser iteration to recover the Pohozaev identity for weak solutions possessing only C_loc^{1,α} regularity, followed by constrained minimization on the Pohozaev manifold inside a closed L^2-ball combined with a minimax characterization.
Significance. If the technical details hold, the result is significant for variational methods applied to quasilinear problems with mixed operators and critical exponential nonlinearities. It extends single-Laplacian results by handling the reduced regularity of the mixed operator and by removing the usual sign restriction on λ that obstructs compactness recovery. The constrained minimization on the Pohozaev manifold within an L^2-ball is a clean construction that avoids direct dependence on λ.
major comments (1)
- [Abstract and Moser iteration section] Abstract (paragraph on technical issues) and the section presenting the refined Moser iteration: the argument that this iteration yields the Pohozaev identity for weak solutions under mere C_loc^{1,α} regularity must separately control the degenerate p-term (|∇u|^p when |∇u| is small, since 1<p<2) versus the 2-term, together with the exponential remainder f(u)(x·∇u). Explicit estimates showing that the integrated identity passes to the limit in approximating domains are needed; without them the Pohozaev manifold construction for the minimizers obtained from the constrained problem is not justified.
minor comments (2)
- [Introduction] The notation for the mixed operator and the space H^1(R^2) ∩ D^{1,p}(R^2) is clear, but the precise definition of the exponential critical growth condition on f should be stated explicitly in the introduction rather than only referenced.
- [Main theorem] In the statement of the main theorem, the dependence of the groundstate on m should be made explicit (e.g., u_m) to avoid ambiguity when discussing the mass constraint.
Simulated Author's Rebuttal
We appreciate the referee's careful analysis and constructive feedback on our paper. The major comment correctly identifies the need for more detailed estimates in justifying the Pohozaev identity via the refined Moser iteration, particularly regarding the degenerate behavior of the p-Laplacian term. We will revise the manuscript to include these explicit estimates, ensuring the construction of the Pohozaev manifold is fully justified. No other major issues were raised.
read point-by-point responses
-
Referee: [Abstract and Moser iteration section] Abstract (paragraph on technical issues) and the section presenting the refined Moser iteration: the argument that this iteration yields the Pohozaev identity for weak solutions under mere C_loc^{1,α} regularity must separately control the degenerate p-term (|∇u|^p when |∇u| is small, since 1<p<2) versus the 2-term, together with the exponential remainder f(u)(x·∇u). Explicit estimates showing that the integrated identity passes to the limit in approximating domains are needed; without them the Pohozaev manifold construction for the minimizers obtained from the constrained problem is not justified.
Authors: We thank the referee for this precise observation. Upon re-examination, we acknowledge that while the refined Moser iteration in Section 3 is adapted to the mixed operator and exponential growth, the passage to the limit for the Pohozaev identity in approximating domains requires more explicit control on the terms mentioned. In the revised version, we will insert a new subsection (e.g., Subsection 3.4) that separately estimates the contribution of the p-Laplacian term in regions where |∇u| is small by using the integrability from D^{1,p}(R^2) and a cutoff function argument. For the 2-Laplacian term, standard integration by parts applies directly. The exponential remainder f(u)(x·∇u) will be bounded using the Trudinger-Moser inequality and the L^2-mass constraint to show uniform integrability. We will then demonstrate that the boundary terms on ∂B_R vanish as R→∞ and the identity holds for the weak solution. This revision will be made to justify the subsequent minimization on the Pohozaev manifold. revision: yes
Circularity Check
No significant circularity: direct variational construction with independent Moser iteration lemma
full rationale
The derivation proceeds by first proving a refined Moser iteration that yields the Pohozaev identity for any weak solution possessing only C_loc^{1,α} regularity; this identity is then applied to define the Pohozaev manifold on which constrained minimization (inside a closed L^2-ball) is performed, together with a minimax characterization. Both the iteration and the subsequent minimization are presented as explicit constructions from standard variational tools adapted to the mixed operator and exponential nonlinearity, without any reduction of the target existence statement to a fitted parameter, a self-citation chain, or an ansatz smuggled from prior work by the same authors. The argument therefore remains self-contained against external benchmarks and does not collapse by construction.
Axiom & Free-Parameter Ledger
axioms (2)
- standard math Standard Sobolev and Trudinger-Moser embeddings hold for the mixed space H^1(R^2) ∩ D^{1,p}(R^2)
- domain assumption Weak solutions possess C_loc^{1,α} regularity sufficient for integration by parts in the Pohozaev identity
Lean theorems connected to this paper
-
IndisputableMonolith/Foundation/BranchSelection.leanbranch_selection unclear?
unclearRelation between the paper passage and the cited Recognition theorem.
constrained minimization on the Pohozaev manifold within a closed L2-ball with a minimax characterization
What do these tags mean?
- matches
- The paper's claim is directly supported by a theorem in the formal canon.
- supports
- The theorem supports part of the paper's argument, but the paper may add assumptions or extra steps.
- extends
- The paper goes beyond the formal theorem; the theorem is a base layer rather than the whole result.
- uses
- The paper appears to rely on the theorem as machinery.
- contradicts
- The paper's claim conflicts with a theorem or certificate in the canon.
- unclear
- Pith found a possible connection, but the passage is too broad, indirect, or ambiguous to say the theorem truly supports the claim.
Reference graph
Works this paper leans on
-
[1]
S. Adachi and K. Tanaka, Trudinger type inequalities in RN and their best exponents, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 128 (2000), 2051–2057
work page 2000
-
[2]
C. O. Alves and G. M. Figueiredo, Multiplicity and concentration of positive solutions for a class of quasilinear problems, Adv. Nonlinear Stud. 11 (2011), 265–294
work page 2011
-
[3]
C. O. Alves, C. Ji, and O. H. Miyagaki, Normalized solutions for a Schrödinger equation with critical growth in RN , Calc. V ar. Partial Differential Equations61 (2022), Paper No. 18, 24 pp
work page 2022
-
[4]
C. O. Alves and S. H. M. Soares, Nodal solutions for singularly perturbed equations with critical expo- nential growth, J. Differential Equations 234 (2007), 464–484
work page 2007
-
[5]
C. O. Alves, M. A. S. Souto, and M. Montenegro, Existence of a ground state solution for a nonlinear scalar field equation with critical growth , Calc. V ar. Partial Differential Equations43 (2012), 537–554
work page 2012
-
[6]
M. J. Alves, R. B. Assunção, and O. H. Miyagaki, Existence result for a class of quasilinear elliptic equations with ( p-q)-Laplacian and vanishing potentials , Illinois J. Math. 59 (2015), 545–575
work page 2015
-
[7]
V . Ambrosio, The nonlinear (p, q)-Schrödinger equation with a general nonlinearity: existence and concentration, J. Math. Pures Appl. (9) 178 (2023), 141–184
work page 2023
-
[8]
V . Ambrosio, Nonlinear scalar field (p1, p2)-Laplacian equations in RN : existence and multiplicity , Calc. V ar. Partial Differential Equations63 (2024), Paper No. 210, 59 pp
work page 2024
-
[9]
Aris, Mathematical modelling techniques , Research Notes in Mathematics, vol
R. Aris, Mathematical modelling techniques , Research Notes in Mathematics, vol. 24, Pitman (Ad- vanced Publishing Program), Boston, Mass.-London, 1979
work page 1979
-
[10]
L. Baldelli, Y . Brizi, and R. Filippucci, Multiplicity results for (p, q)-Laplacian equations with critical exponent in RN and negative energy , Calc. V ar. Partial Differential Equations 60 (2021), Paper No. 8, 30 pp
work page 2021
-
[11]
L. Baldelli and T. Y ang, Normalized solutions to a class of (2, q)-Laplacian equations, Adv. Nonlinear Stud. 25 (2025), 225–256
work page 2025
-
[12]
H. Berestycki and P .-L. Lions,Nonlinear scalar field equations. II. Existence of infinitely many solutions, Arch. Rational Mech. Anal. 82 (1983), 347–375
work page 1983
-
[13]
B. Bieganowski and J. Mederski, Normalized ground states of the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with at least mass critical growth , J. Funct. Anal. 280 (2021), Paper No. 108989, 26 pp
work page 2021
-
[14]
H. Brezis and E. Lieb, A relation between pointwise convergence of functions and convergence of func- tionals, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 88 (1983), 486–490
work page 1983
- [15]
-
[16]
Cao, Nontrivial solution of semilinear elliptic equation with critical exponent in R2, Comm
D. Cao, Nontrivial solution of semilinear elliptic equation with critical exponent in R2, Comm. Partial Differential Equations 17 (1992), 407–435
work page 1992
-
[17]
J. L. Carvalho, G. M. Figueiredo, M. F. Furtado, and E. Medeiros, On a zero-mass (N, q)-Laplacian equation in RN with exponential critical growth, Nonlinear Anal. 213 (2021), Paper No. 112488, 14 pp
work page 2021
-
[18]
T. Cazenave and P .-L. Lions, Orbital stability of standing waves for some nonlinear Schrödinger equa- tions, Comm. Math. Phys. 85 (1982), 549–561
work page 1982
- [19]
-
[20]
M. F. Chaves, G. Ercole, and O. H. Miyagaki, Existence of a nontrivial solution for the (p, q)-Laplacian in RN without the Ambrosetti–Rabinowitz condition , Nonlinear Anal. 114 (2015), 133–141
work page 2015
-
[21]
S. Chen, D. Qin, V . D. R˘adulescu, and X. Tang, Ground states for quasilinear equations of N -Laplacian type with critical exponential growth and lack of compactness , Sci. China Math. 68 (2025), 1323–1354
work page 2025
-
[22]
L. Cherfils and Y . Il’yasov, On the stationary solutions of generalized reaction diffusion equations with p&q-Laplacian, Commun. Pure Appl. Anal. 4 (2005), 9–22
work page 2005
-
[23]
J. C. de Albuquerque, J. Carvalho, and E. D. Silva, Schrödinger-Poisson system with zero mass in R2 involving (2, q)-Laplacian: existence, asymptotic behavior and regularity of solutions , Calc. V ar. Partial Differential Equations 62 (2023), Paper No. 253, 25 pp
work page 2023
-
[24]
D. G. de Figueiredo, J. M. do Ó, and B. Ruf, On an inequality by N. Trudinger and J. Moser and related elliptic equations, Comm. Pure Appl. Math. 55 (2002), 135–152
work page 2002
-
[25]
D. G. de Figueiredo, O. H. Miyagaki, and B. Ruf, Elliptic equations in R2 with nonlinearities in the critical growth range, Calc. V ar. Partial Differential Equations3 (1995), 139–153
work page 1995
-
[26]
D. G. de Figueiredo and B. Ruf, Existence and non-existence of radial solutions for elliptic equations with critical exponent in R2, Comm. Pure Appl. Math. 48 (1995), 639–655
work page 1995
-
[27]
M. Degiovanni, A. Musesti, and M. Squassina, On the regularity of solutions in the Pucci-Serrin identity, Calc. V ar. Partial Differential Equations18 (2003), 317–334
work page 2003
-
[28]
Y . Deng, Q. He, and X. Zhong, Sharp interaction estimates and their application: existence of normal- ized ground states to coupled Schrödinger systems with potentials , J. Geom. Anal. 36 (2026), Paper No. 160, 55 pp
work page 2026
-
[29]
G. H. Derrick, Comments on nonlinear wave equations as models for elementary particles , J. Mathe- matical Phys. 5 (1964), 1252–1254
work page 1964
-
[30]
R. Ding, C. Ji, and P . Pucci,Normalized solutions to a class of (2, q)-Laplacian equations in the strongly sublinear regime, J. Geom. Anal. 35 (2025), Paper No. 94, 36 pp
work page 2025
-
[31]
R. Ding, C. Ji, and P . Pucci,Existence and multiplicity of normalized solutions for (2, q)-Laplacian equa- tions with generic double-behaviour nonlinearities , NoDEA Nonlinear Differential Equations Appl. 33 (2026), Paper No. 55, 52 pp
work page 2026
-
[32]
J. M. do Ó, M. de Souza, E. de Medeiros, and U. Severo, An improvement for the Trudinger–Moser inequality and applications, J. Differential Equations 256 (2014), 1317–1349
work page 2014
-
[33]
J. M. do Ó and M. A. S. Souto, On a class of nonlinear Schrödinger equations in R2 involving critical growth, J. Differential Equations 174 (2001), 289–311
work page 2001
-
[34]
J. Dou, L. Huang, and X. Zhong, Normalized solutions to N -Laplacian equations in RN with exponen- tial critical growth, J. Geom. Anal. 34 (2024), Paper No. 317, 42 pp
work page 2024
-
[35]
P . C. Fife, Mathematical aspects of reacting and diffusing systems , Lecture Notes in Biomathematics, vol. 28, Springer-V erlag, Berlin-New Y ork, 1979
work page 1979
-
[36]
G. M. Figueiredo, Existence of positive solutions for a class of p&q elliptic problems with critical growth on RN , J. Math. Anal. Appl. 378 (2011), 507–518
work page 2011
-
[37]
A. Fiscella and P . Pucci,(p, N) equations with critical exponential nonlinearities in RN , J. Math. Anal. Appl. 501 (2021), Paper No. 123379, 25 pp
work page 2021
- [38]
-
[39]
N. Ghoussoub, Duality and perturbation methods in critical point theory , Cambridge Tracts in Mathe- matics, vol. 107, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1993
work page 1993
- [40]
- [41]
-
[42]
J. Hirata and K. Tanaka, Nonlinear scalar field equations with L2 constraint: mountain pass and sym- metric mountain pass approaches, Adv. Nonlinear Stud. 19 (2019), 263–290
work page 2019
- [43]
-
[44]
L. Jeanjean, Existence of solutions with prescribed norm for semilinear elliptic equations , Nonlinear Anal. 28 (1997), 1633–1659
work page 1997
-
[45]
L. Jeanjean and S.-S. Lu, A mass supercritical problem revisited, Calc. V ar. Partial Differential Equations 59 (2020), Paper No. 174, 43 pp
work page 2020
-
[46]
Lions,The concentration-compactness principle in the calculus of variations
P .-L. Lions,The concentration-compactness principle in the calculus of variations. The locally compact case. II, Ann. Inst. H. Poincaré Anal. Non Linéaire 1 (1984), 223–283
work page 1984
- [47]
-
[48]
P . Marcellini,Regularity of minimizers of integrals of the calculus of variations with nonstandard growth conditions, Arch. Rational Mech. Anal. 105 (1989), 267–284
work page 1989
-
[49]
P . Marcellini,Regularity and existence of solutions of elliptic equations with p, q-growth conditions, J. Differential Equations 90 (1991), 1–30
work page 1991
-
[50]
Marcellini,Regularity for elliptic equations with general growth conditions , J
P . Marcellini,Regularity for elliptic equations with general growth conditions , J. Differential Equations 105 (1993), 296–333
work page 1993
-
[51]
J. Mederski and J. Schino, Least energy solutions to a cooperative system of Schrödinger equations with prescribed L2-bounds: at least L2-critical growth, Calc. V ar. Partial Differential Equations 61 (2022), Paper No. 10, 31 pp
work page 2022
-
[52]
J. Mederski and J. Schino, Normalized solutions to Schrödinger equations in the strongly sublinear regime, Calc. V ar. Partial Differential Equations63 (2024), Paper No. 137, 20 pp
work page 2024
-
[53]
G. Mingione and V . D. R ˇadulescu, Recent developments in problems with nonstandard growth and nonuniform ellipticity, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 501 (2021), Paper No. 125197, 41 pp
work page 2021
- [54]
-
[55]
Moser, A sharp form of an inequality by N
J. Moser, A sharp form of an inequality by N. Trudinger , Indiana Univ. Math. J. 20 (1971), 1077–1092
work page 1971
-
[56]
R. S. Palais, The principle of symmetric criticality , Comm. Math. Phys. 69 (1979), 19–30
work page 1979
-
[57]
A. Pomponio and T. Watanabe, Some quasilinear elliptic equations involving multiple p-Laplacians, Indiana Univ. Math. J. 67 (2018), 2199–2224
work page 2018
-
[58]
A. Szulkin and T. Weth, Ground state solutions for some indefinite variational problems , J. Funct. Anal. 257 (2009), 3802–3822
work page 2009
-
[59]
A. Szulkin and T. Weth, The method of Nehari manifold , Int. Press, Somerville, MA, 2010. 38
work page 2010
-
[60]
N. S. Trudinger, On imbeddings into Orlicz spaces and some applications , J. Math. Mech. 17 (1967), 473–483
work page 1967
-
[61]
Willem, Minimax theorems, Birkhäuser Boston, Inc., Boston, MA, 1996
M. Willem, Minimax theorems, Birkhäuser Boston, Inc., Boston, MA, 1996
work page 1996
-
[62]
Y . Y ang,Existence of positive solutions to quasi-linear elliptic equations with exponential growth in the whole Euclidean space, J. Funct. Anal. 262 (2012), 1679–1704
work page 2012
-
[63]
V . V . Zhikov,Averaging of functionals of the calculus of variations and elasticity theory , Izv. Akad. Nauk SSSR Ser. Mat. 50 (1986), 675–710, 877
work page 1986
-
[64]
V . V . Zhikov,On Lavrentiev’s phenomenon , Russian J. Math. Phys. 3 (1995), 249–269
work page 1995
-
[65]
X. Zhu, Y . Zhao, and Z. Liang,Normalized solutions of a (2,p)-Laplacian equation, J. Math. Anal. Appl. 549 (2025), Paper No. 129462, 35 pp. 39
work page 2025
discussion (0)
Sign in with ORCID, Apple, or X to comment. Anyone can read and Pith papers without signing in.