On the stability of the critical $p$-Laplace equation

Abstract: For $1<p<n$, it is well-known that non-negative, energy weak solutions to $\Delta_p u + u^{p^{\ast}-1} =0$ in $\mathbb{R}^n$ are completely classified. Moreover, due to a fundamental result by Struwe and its extensions, this classification is stable up to bubbling. In the present work, we investigate the stability of perturbations of the critical $p$-Laplace equation for any $1<p<n$, under a condition that prevents bubbling. In particular, we show that any solution $u \in \mathcal{D}^{1,p}(\mathbb{R}^n)$ to such a perturbed equation must be quantitatively close to a bubble. This result generalizes a recent work by the first author, together with Figalli and Maggi (Int. Math. Res. Not. IMRN 2018 (2018), no. 21, 6780-6797), in which a sharp quantitative estimate was established for $p=2$. However, our analysis differs completely from theirs and is based on a quantitative $P$-function approach.