On a nonlinear eigenvalue problem for generalized Laplacian in Orlicz-Sobolev spaces
We consider a nonlinear eigenvalue problem for some elliptic equations governed by general operators including the $p$-Laplacian. The natural framework in which we consider such equations is that of Orlicz-Sobolev spaces. we exhibit two positive constants $λ_{0}$ and $λ_{1}$ with $λ_{0}\leqλ_{1}$ such that $λ_1$ is an eigenvalue of the problem while any value $λ<λ_{0}$ cannot be so. By means of Harnack-type inequalities and a strong maximum principle, we prove the isolation of $λ_{1}$ on the right side. We emphasize that throughout the paper no $Δ_2$-condition is needed.