Convexity estimates for the solutions of a class of semi-linear elliptic equations

In this paper, we are concerned with convexity estimates for solutions of a class of semi-linear elliptic equations involving the Laplacian with power-type nonlinearities. We consider auxiliary curvature functions which attain their minimum values on the boundary and then establish lower bound convexity estimates for the solutions. Then we give two applications of these convexity estimates. We use the deformation method to prove a theorem concerning the strictly power concavity properties of the smooth solutions to these semi-linear elliptic equations. Finally, we give a sharp lower bound estimate of the Gaussian curvature for the solution surface of some specific equation by the curvatures of the domain's boundary. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.