Topics in spectral theory of differential operators /

This dissertation is devoted to two eigenvalue counting problems: Determining the asymptotic behavior of large eigenvalues of self-adjoint extensions of partial differential operators, and computing the number of negative eigenvalues for bounded from below operators with compact resolvents. In the first part of this thesis we derive a Weyl-type asymptotic formula and a bound for the eigenvalue counting function for the Krein-von Neumann extension of differential operators on open bounded subsets of R n. In the second part of this thesis we obtain a formula relating the Maslov index, a topological invariant counting the signed number of conjugate points of paths of Lagrangian planes in H1/2 ([boundary symbol]) x H-1/2 ([boundary symbol]) and the Morse index, the number of negative eigenvalues, for the second order differential operators with domains of definition contained in H1 ([omega]) for open bounded subsets [omega] [symbol] R[subscript n].Field of study: Mathematics.|Dr. Fritz Gesztesy and Dr. Yuri Latushkin, Dissertation Supervisors.|Includes vita.Includes bibliographical references (pages 139-159)

First-order asymptotic perturbation theory for extensions of symmetric operators

This work offers a new prospective on asymptotic perturbation theory for varying self-adjoint extensions of symmetric operators. Employing symplectic formulation of self-adjointness we obtain a new version of Krein formula for resolvent difference which facilitates asymptotic analysis of resolvent operators via first order expansion for the family of Lagrangian planes associated with perturbed operators. Specifically, we derive a Riccati-type differential equation and the first order asymptotic expansion for resolvents of self-adjoint extensions determined by smooth one-parameter families of Lagrangian planes. This asymptotic perturbation theory yields a symplectic version of the abstract Kato selection theorem and Hadamard-Rellich-type variational formula for slopes of multiple eigenvalue curves bifurcating from an eigenvalue of the unperturbed operator. The latter, in turn, gives a general infinitesimal version of the celebrated formula equating the spectral flow of a path of self-adjoint extensions and the Maslov index of the corresponding path of Lagrangian planes. Applications are given to quantum graphs, periodic Kronig-Penney model, elliptic second order partial differential operators with Robin boundary conditions, and physically relevant heat equations with thermal conductivity

A Bound for the Eigenvalue Counting Function for Higher-Order Krein Laplacians on Open Sets

For an arbitrary nonempty, open set $\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^n$, $n \in \mathbb{N}$, of finite (Euclidean) volume, we consider the minimally defined higher-order Laplacian $(- \Delta)^m\big|_{C_0^{\infty}(\Omega)}$, $m \in \mathbb{N}$, and its Krein--von Neumann extension $A_{K,\Omega,m}$ in $L^2(\Omega)$. With $N(\lambda,A_{K,\Omega,m})$, $\lambda > 0$, denoting the eigenvalue counting function corresponding to the strictly positive eigenvalues of $A_{K,\Omega,m}$, we derive the bound $$N(\lambda,A_{K,\Omega,m}) \leq (2 \pi)^{-n} v_n |\Omega| \{1 + [2m/(2m+n)]\}^{n/(2m)} \lambda^{n/(2m)}, \quad \lambda > 0,$$ where $v_n := \pi^{n/2}/\Gamma((n+2)/2)$ denotes the (Euclidean) volume of the unit ball in $\mathbb{R}^n$. The proof relies on variational considerations and exploits the fundamental link between the Krein--von Neumann extension and an underlying (abstract) buckling problem.Comment: 22 pages. Considerable improvements mad

A bound for the eigenvalue counting function for Krein--von Neumann and Friedrichs extensions

For an arbitrary open, nonempty, bounded set $\Omega \subset \mathbb{R}^n$, $n \in \mathbb{N}$, and sufficiently smooth coefficients $a,b,q$, we consider the closed, strictly positive, higher-order differential operator $A_{\Omega, 2m} (a,b,q)$ in $L^2(\Omega)$ defined on $W_0^{2m,2}(\Omega)$, associated with the higher-order differential expression $$\tau_{2m} (a,b,q) := \bigg(\sum_{j,k=1}^{n} (-i \partial_j - b_j) a_{j,k} (-i \partial_k - b_k)+q\bigg)^m, \quad m \in \mathbb{N},$$ and its Krein--von Neumann extension $A_{K, \Omega, 2m} (a,b,q)$ in $L^2(\Omega)$. Denoting by $N(\lambda; A_{K, \Omega, 2m} (a,b,q))$, $\lambda > 0$, the eigenvalue counting function corresponding to the strictly positive eigenvalues of $A_{K, \Omega, 2m} (a,b,q)$, we derive the bound $$N(\lambda; A_{K, \Omega, 2m} (a,b,q)) \leq C v_n (2\pi)^{-n} \bigg(1+\frac{2m}{2m+n}\bigg)^{n/(2m)} \lambda^{n/(2m)} , \quad \lambda > 0,$$ where $C = C(a,b,q,\Omega)>0$ (with $C(I_n,0,0,\Omega) = |\Omega|$) is connected to the eigenfunction expansion of the self-adjoint operator $\widetilde A_{2m} (a,b,q)$ in $L^2(\mathbb{R}^n)$ defined on $W^{2m,2}(\mathbb{R}^n)$, corresponding to $\tau_{2m} (a,b,q)$. Here $v_n := \pi^{n/2}/\Gamma((n+2)/2)$ denotes the (Euclidean) volume of the unit ball in $\mathbb{R}^n$. Our method of proof relies on variational considerations exploiting the fundamental link between the Krein--von Neumann extension and an underlying abstract buckling problem, and on the distorted Fourier transform defined in terms of the eigenfunction transform of $\widetilde A_{2} (a,b,q)$ in $L^2(\mathbb{R}^n)$. We also consider the analogous bound for the eigenvalue counting function for the Friedrichs extension $A_{F,\Omega, 2m} (a,b,q)$ in $L^2(\Omega)$ of $A_{\Omega, 2m} (a,b,q)$. No assumptions on the boundary $\partial \Omega$ of $\Omega$ are made.Comment: 39 pages. arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1403.373