An existence theory for superposition operators of mixed order subject to jumping nonlinearities

Abstract We consider a superposition operator of the form ∫ [ 0 , 1 ] ( − Δ ) s u d μ ( s ) , for a signed measure µ on the interval of fractional exponents [ 0 , 1 ] , joined to a nonlinearity whose term of homogeneity equal to one is ‘jumping’, i.e. it may present different coefficients in front of the negative and positive parts. The signed measure is supposed to possess a positive contribution coming from the higher exponents that overcomes its negative contribution (if any). The problem taken into account is also of ‘critical’ type, though in this case the critical exponent needs to be carefully selected in terms of the signed measure µ . Not only the operator and the nonlinearity considered here are very general, but our results are new even in special cases of interest and include known results as particular subcases. The possibility of considering operators ‘with the wrong sign’ is also a complete novelty in this setting.