A unified topological analysis of variable growth Kirchhoff-type equations

Abstract We consider the nonlocal differential equation \begin{equation*} -A\left(\int_0^1b(1-s)\big(u(s)\big)^{p(s)}\ ds\right)u''(t)=\lambda f\big(t,u(t)\big)\text{, }t\in(0,1), \end{equation*} which is a one-dimensional Kirchhoff-like equation with a nonlocal convolution coefficient. The novelty of our work involves allowing a variable growth term in the nonlocal coefficient. By relating the variable growth problem to a constant growth problem, we are able to deduce the existence of at least one positive solution to the differential equation when equipped with boundary data. Our methodology relies on topological fixed point theory. Because our results treat both the convex and concave regimes, together with both the variable growth and constant growth regimes, our results provide a unified framework for one-dimensional Kirchhoff-type problems.