On sign-changing solutions for mixed local and nonlocal $p$-Laplace operator

Abstract: In this paper, we use the method of invariant sets of descending flows to demonstrate the existence of multiple sign-changing solutions for a class of elliptic problems with zero Dirichlet boundary conditions. By combining Nehari manifold techniques with a constrained variational approach and Brouwer degree theory, we establish the existence of a least-energy sign-changing solution. Furthermore, we prove that the energy of the least energy sign-changing solution is strictly greater than twice the ground state energy and the least energy sign-changing solution has exactly two nodal domains, when $p=2$. This work extends the celebrated results of Bartsch \textit{et al.} [Proc. Lond. Math. Soc., (3), 91(1), 129--152, 2005] and Chang \textit{et al.} [Adv. Nonlinear Stud., 19(1), 29--53, 2019] to the mixed local and nonlocal $p$-Laplace operator, providing a novel contribution even in the case when $p=2$.