LAUSR

In two dimensions, we present a new approach to the study of the semilinear equations of the form div[A(z)∇u] = f(u), the diffusion term of which is the divergence uniform elliptic operator with measurable matrix functions A(z), whereas its reaction term f(u) is a continuous non-linear function. Assuming that f(t)/t → 0 as t → ∞, we establish a theorem on existence of weak $$ C\left(\overline{D}\right)\cap {W}_{\mathrm{loc}}^{1,2}(D) $$ solutions of the Dirichlet problem with arbitrary continuous boundary data in any bounded domains D without degenerate boundary components. As consequences, we give applications to some concrete model semilinear equations of mathematical physics, arising from modeling processes in anisotropic and inhomogeneous media. With a view to the further development of the theory of boundary-value problems for the semilinear equations, we prove a theorem on the solvability of the Dirichlet problem for the Poisson equation in Jordan domains with arbitrary boundary data that are measurable with respect to the logarithmic capacity.