On the Trace of a Differential Operator
Mathematics
Submitted 1965-01-01 | SovietRxiv: ru-196501.36678 | Translated from Russian

Abstract Generated abstract

The paper studies the regularized trace of the differential operator d n/dx n plus a smooth potential q(x) on the interval [0,1], under regular boundary conditions identical to those for the unperturbed operator and with zero mean potential. Extending earlier trace formulas known mainly for second order self-adjoint cases, it uses resolvent identities, Lidskii’s theorem, asymptotic estimates for Green kernels, and contour integration to treat general order n and non-self-adjoint boundary value problems. The main result gives conditions for existence of the trace and expresses it explicitly as a boundary term A1 q(1) minus A0 q(0), where the constants are determined by the order of the operator and the boundary conditions.

Full Text

R. F. SHEVCHENKO

ON THE TRACE OF A DIFFERENTIAL OPERATOR

(Presented by Academician I. G. Petrovskii, 12 III 1965)

Mathematics

Let two differential operators be given
\[ S_1=\frac{d^n}{dx^n},\qquad S_2=\frac{d^n}{dx^n}+q(x), \tag{1} \]
defined on the interval \([0,1]\) by identical regular boundary conditions (definition of regularity \((^5)\))
\[ U_j(y)=U_{j0}(y)+U_{j1}(y)=\alpha_j y^{(k_j)}(0)+\ldots+\beta_j y^{(k_j)}(1)+\ldots, \qquad j=1,\ldots,n, \tag{2} \]
where \(q(x)\) is a sufficiently smooth function and
\[ \int_0^1 q(x)\,dx=0. \tag{3} \]

In the present work conditions are obtained for the regularization (existence) of the trace of the operator \(S_2\)
\[ \sum_{k=1}^{\infty *}\lambda_{2,k} = \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}(\lambda_{2,k}-\lambda_{1,k}-\ldots), \tag{4} \]
where \(|\lambda_{2,1}|\leq |\lambda_{2,2}|\leq \ldots\) and \(|\lambda_{1,1}|\leq |\lambda_{1,k}|\leq \ldots\) are the eigenvalues of the operators \(S_2\) and \(S_1\).

For \(n=2\), first in the work of I. M. Gelfand and B. M. Levitan \((^{1,2})\), and then by other authors \((^{3,4})\), the formula
\[ \sum_{k=1}^{\infty *}\lambda_{2,k} = \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}(\lambda_{2,k}-\lambda_{1,k}) = -\frac{q(1)+q(0)}{4} \]
was obtained, but in all these works the operators \(S_1\) and \(S_2\) were self-adjoint. The method used in the present work is based on the relation between the resolvents \(R_{\lambda,1}\) and \(R_{\lambda,2}\) of the operators \(S_1\) and \(S_2\)
\[ R_{\lambda,2}=R_{\lambda,1}-R_{\lambda,1}\cdot(qR_{\lambda,1}), \tag{5} \]
which is also valid in the non-self-adjoint case. This method makes it possible to prove the following result.

Let \(\omega_i\) be the roots of the \(n\)-th degree of \(-1\); \(\rho^n=-\lambda\), and \(A_0\) and \(A_1\) constants defined as follows:

  1. \(n=2\mu\).
    \[ A_0=\frac{1}{n\theta_1}\sum_{i=1}^{\mu}\sum_{j=\mu+1}^{\mu}\bar A_{ij}\frac{\omega_j}{\omega_i-\omega_j}; \tag{6} \]
    \[ A_1=\frac{1}{n\theta_1}\sum_{i=\mu+1}^{n}\sum_{j=1}^{\mu} A_{ij}\frac{\omega_j}{\omega_i-\omega_j}. \tag{7} \]
  1. \(n=2\mu+1\).

\[ A_0=\frac{1}{2n}\left[\frac{1}{\theta_2}\sum_{i=1}^{\mu}\sum_{j=\mu+1}^{n} \frac{\overline{\overline{A}}_{ij}\omega_j}{\omega_i-\omega_j} + \frac{1}{\theta_3}\sum_{i=1}^{\mu+1}\sum_{j=\mu+2}^{n} \frac{\overline{\overline{A}}_{ij}\omega_j}{\omega_i-\omega_j}\right]; \tag{8} \]

\[ A_1=\frac{1}{2n}\left[\frac{1}{\theta_2}\sum_{i=\mu+1}^{n}\sum_{j=1}^{\mu} \frac{\overline{\overline{A}}_{ij}\omega_j}{\omega_i-\omega_j} + \frac{1}{\theta_3}\sum_{i=\mu+2}^{n}\sum_{i=1}^{\mu+1} \frac{\overline{\overline{A}}_{ij}\omega_j}{\omega_i-\omega_j}\right]. \tag{9} \]

Here

\[ \theta_1= \begin{vmatrix} \alpha_1\omega_1^{k_1}&\cdots&\alpha_1\omega_\mu^{k_1}&\beta_1\omega_{\mu+1}^{k_1}&\cdots&\beta_1\omega_n^{k_1}\\ \cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot\\ \alpha_n\omega_1^{k_n}&\cdots&\alpha_n\omega_\mu^{k_n}&\beta_n\omega_{\mu+1}^{k_n}&\cdots&\beta_n\omega_n^{k_n} \end{vmatrix}; \tag{10} \]

\[ \theta_2= \begin{vmatrix} \alpha_1\omega_1^{k_1}&\cdots&\alpha_1\omega_\mu^{k_1}&\beta_1\omega_{\mu+1}^{k_1}&\cdots&\beta_1\omega_n^{k_1}\\ \cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot\\ \alpha_n\omega_1^{k_n}&\cdots&\alpha_n\omega_\mu^{k_n}&\beta_n\omega_{\mu+1}^{k_n}&\cdots&\beta_n\omega_n^{k_n} \end{vmatrix}; \tag{11} \]

\[ \theta_3= \begin{vmatrix} \alpha_1\omega_1^{k_1}&\cdots&\alpha_1\omega_{\mu+1}^{k_1}&\beta_1\omega_{\mu+2}^{k_1}&\cdots&\beta_1\omega_n^{k_1}\\ \cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot&\cdot\\ \alpha_n\omega_1^{k_n}&\cdots&\alpha_n\omega_{\mu+1}^{k_n}&\beta_n\omega_{\mu+2}^{k_n}&\cdots&\beta_n\omega_n^{k_n} \end{vmatrix}^{*}, \tag{12} \]

where \(\overline{A}^{\,i}_j\), \(\overline{\overline{A}}_{ij}\), and \(\overline{\overline{\overline{A}}}_{ij}\) differ from the determinants standing in the denominator in that, in the \(i\)-th column, \(\omega_i\) is replaced by \(\omega_j\). Then the following holds.

Theorem 1. For \(n\geqslant 2\) and regular boundary conditions, the trace \(S_2\) exists and is equal to

\[ \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\lambda_{2,k} = \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}(\lambda_{2,k}-\lambda_{1,k}) = A_1q(1)-A_0q(0). \tag{13} \]

Proof. Since the resolvents \(R_{\lambda,1}\) and \(R_{\lambda,2}\) are Hilbert–Schmidt operators with kernels \(R_1(x,t;\lambda)\) and \(R_2(x,t;\lambda)\), applying Lidskii’s theorem (6)**, we obtain

\[ \operatorname{sp} R_{\lambda,1} = \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{\lambda_{1,k}-\lambda} = \int_0^1 R_1(x,x;\lambda)\,dx; \tag{14} \]

\[ \operatorname{sp} R_{\lambda,2} = \sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{\lambda_{2,k}-\lambda} = \int_0^1 R_2(x,x;\lambda)\,dx. \tag{15} \]

Iterating (5) \(m\) times and taking \(\operatorname{sp}\), we obtain

\[ \operatorname{sp} R_{\lambda,2}-\operatorname{sp} R_{\lambda,1} = \frac{d}{d\lambda}\left[\sum_{l=1}^{m}J_l(\lambda)\right]+R_m(\lambda), \tag{16} \]

where

\[ J_l(\lambda)= \frac{(-1)^l}{l} \int_0^1\cdots\int_0^1 q(x_1)\cdots q(x_l)R_1(x_1,x_2;\lambda)\cdots \]

\[ \cdots R_1(x_l,x_1;\lambda)\,dx_1\cdots dx_l . \tag{17} \]

* Comparing (11), (12), and (13) with the formulas in (5), p. 51, we see that the non-vanishing of \(\theta_1,\theta_2\), and \(\theta_3\) is equivalent to the regularity of the boundary conditions.

** For differential operators of a more general type this was done in (7).

Bearing in mind the simple identity

\[ \frac{1}{2\pi i}\oint_{|\lambda|=r} \lambda\frac{d}{d\lambda}\left[\frac{1}{\pi(\lambda_i-\lambda)^{n_i}}\right]\,d\lambda = -\frac{1}{2\pi i}\oint \frac{d\lambda}{\prod_{i=1}^{l}(\lambda_i-\lambda)^{n_i}}, \tag{18} \]

multiplying (16) by \(\lambda/2\pi i\) and integrating over the contour \(|\lambda|=r\), we obtain

\[ \sum_{|\lambda|<r}(\lambda_{2,k}-\lambda_{1,k}) = -\frac{1}{2\pi i}\sum_{l=1}^{m} \oint_{|\lambda|=r}J_l\,d\lambda+\widetilde R_m(r) = -\sum I_l(r)+\widetilde R_m(r). \tag{19} \]

According to (5), p. 71, in the regular case we have

\[ |R_1(x,t;\lambda)|=O(1/|\rho|^{n-1}),\qquad |J_l(\lambda)|=O(1/\rho^{l(n-1)}). \tag{20} \]

But condition (3) and the smoothness of \(q(x)\) make it possible to increase the order of decrease by 1, i.e.

\[ |J_l(\lambda)|=O(1/\rho^{l(n-1)+1}) = O(1/\rho^{(l-1)(n-1)+n}), \tag{21} \]

from which it follows that in (19) all terms, beginning with the second, vanish\(^*\). Therefore it is necessary to investigate \(I_{1,1}(r)\), i.e. \(J_1(\lambda)\).

From the formula given in (5), p. 37, by simple algebraic operations we obtain

\[ R_1(x,t;\lambda)= \begin{cases} \displaystyle \frac{1}{n\rho^{\,n-1}\Delta(\rho)} \sum_{i,j=1}^{n} A_{ij}(\rho)\,\omega_j e^{\rho(\omega_i x-\omega_j t)}, & x>t,\\[1.2em] \displaystyle \frac{1}{n\rho^{\,n-1}\Delta(\rho)} \sum_{i,j=1}^{n} B_{ij}(\rho)\,\omega_j e^{\rho(\omega_i x-\omega_j t)}, & x<t, \end{cases} \tag{22} \]

where

\[ \Delta(\rho)=\det\|U_i(e^{\rho\omega_j x})\|_{i,j=1}^{n}, \]

and the determinants \(A_{ij}(\rho)\) and \(B_{ij}(\rho)\) differ from \(\Delta(\lambda)\) in that in place of the \(i\)-th column there stand, respectively, the columns

\[ U_{10}(e^{\rho\omega_j x})|_{l=1}^{n} \quad\text{and}\quad U_{11}(e^{\rho\omega_j x})|_{l=1}^{n}. \]

Substituting (22) into the expression for \(I_1(r)\), passing to the variable \(\lambda=-\rho^n\), and integrating by parts once in the inner integral, we obtain

\[ I_1(r)= \frac{1}{2\pi i}\oint_{\delta_n} \sum_{i\ne j}^{n} \frac{A_{ij}(\rho)}{\Delta(\rho)} \frac{\omega_j}{\omega_i-\omega_j} e^{(\omega_i-\omega_j)\rho}\,d\rho\cdot q(1) - \]

\[ -\frac{1}{2\pi i}\oint_{\delta_n} \sum_{i\ne j}^{n} \frac{A_{ij}(\rho)}{\Delta(\rho)} \frac{\omega_j}{\omega_i-\omega_j}\,d\rho\cdot q(0). \tag{23} \]

Here \(\delta_n\) is an arc on the circle \(|\rho|=r^{1/n}\) of angular measure \(2\pi/n\). We choose \(\delta_n\) so that the following conditions are satisfied:

  1. If \(n=2\mu\), one can number the \(\omega_i\) so that

\[ \operatorname{Re}(\rho\omega_i)<0,\quad i=1,\ldots,\mu, \]

\[ \operatorname{Re}(\rho\omega_i)>0,\quad i=\mu+1,\ldots,n, \qquad \rho\in\delta_n. \tag{24} \]

\(^*\) By choosing \(m\) sufficiently large, one can, according to (20), obtain that \(|\widetilde R_m(r)|=o(1)\).

  1. For \(n=2\mu+1\), one can divide \(\delta_n\) into two arcs \(\delta_n'\) and \(\delta_n''\) of the same angular measure \(\pi/n\), and number the \(\omega_i\) in such a way that

\[ \begin{aligned} \operatorname{Re}(\rho\omega_i)&<0,\quad i=1,\ldots,\mu,\\ \operatorname{Re}(\rho\omega_i)&>0,\quad i=\mu+1,\ldots,n, \end{aligned} \qquad \rho\in\delta_n', \tag{25} \]

\[ \begin{aligned} \operatorname{Re}(\rho\omega_i)&<0,\quad i=1,\ldots,\mu+1,\\ \operatorname{Re}(\rho\omega_i)&>0,\quad i=\mu+2,\ldots,n, \end{aligned} \qquad \rho\in\delta_n''. \tag{26} \]

Using (22), (24), (25), and (26) for large \(|\rho|\), we obtain, for example \((n=2\mu)\):

\[ \frac{A_{ij}(\rho)}{\rho\Delta(\rho)} = \frac{A_{ij}}{\theta_1(\rho)} + o\!\left(\frac{e^{\rho\gamma_1}}{\rho}\right), \quad \operatorname{Re}(\rho\gamma_1)<0,\ \rho\in\delta_n,\ i\leq\mu,\ j\geq\mu+1, \tag{27} \]

and in the opposite case

\[ \frac{A_{ij}(\rho)}{\rho\Delta(\rho)} = O\!\left(\frac{e^{\rho\gamma_2}}{\rho}\right), \quad \operatorname{Re}(\rho\gamma_2)<0,\ \rho\in\delta_n. \]

Repeating analogous computations for the remaining terms of (23), substituting the obtained expressions into (23), and applying Jordan’s lemma \((^8)\), we obtain (13).

Moscow State University
named after M. V. Lomonosov

Received
9 III 1965

REFERENCES

\(^1\) I. M. Gel'fand, B. M. Levitan, DAN, 88, No. 4 (1953).
\(^2\) I. M. Gel'fand, UMN, 11, issue 1 (1956).
\(^3\) M. N. Dikii, Izv. AN, ser. matem., 19, No. 4 (1955).
\(^4\) J. A. Charles, V. A. Kramer, Duke Math. J., 27, No. 4 (1960).
\(^5\) M. A. Naimark, Linear Differential Operators, vol. I, II, 1954.
\(^6\) V. B. Lidskii, DAN, 125, No. 3, 485 (1958).
\(^7\) M. V. Keldysh, DAN, 77, No. 1, 11 (1951).
\(^8\) M. A. Lavrent'ev, B. V. Shabat, Methods of the Theory of Functions of a Complex Variable, Ch. V, 1951, § 70.

Submission history

On the Trace of a Differential Operator