Classification of solutions of an equation related to a conformal log Sobolev inequality

Abstract

We classify all finite energy solutions of an equation which arises as the Euler–Lagrange equation of a conformally invariant logarithmic Sobolev inequality on the sphere due to Beckner. Our proof uses an extension of the method of moving spheres from Rn to Sn and a classification result of Li and Zhu. Along the way we prove a small volume maximum principle and a strong maximum principle for the underlying operator which is closely related to the logarithmic Laplacian.