Multiplicity for a nonlinear elliptic fourth order equation in Maxwell-Chern-Simons vortex theory

We prove the existence of at least two solutions for a fourth order equation, which includes the vortex equations for the U(1) and CP(1) self-dual Maxwell-Chern-Simons models as special cases. Our method is variational, and it relies on an “asymptotic maximum principle” property for a special class of supersolutions to this fourth order equation.