The distribution of the eigenvalues for second order eigenvalue problems in the presence of an arbitrary number of turning points (Q1193212)

The authors consider boundary eigenvalue problems for second order differential equations \(-y''+\chi(x)y=\rho^ 2\Phi(x)y\) on \([0,1]\) together with two-point boundary conditions where \([0,1]\) contains a finite number of turning points i.e. zeros of \(\Phi^ 2\). The main result is a theorem on the asymptotic distribution of eigenvalues for such problems. It is based on asymptotic estimates for fundamental systems of the considered differential equation derived by the authors in a previous paper and requires the introduction of a concept of regularity generalizing the concept of Birkhoff-regularity for boundary eigenvalue problems of second order without turning points. The paper improves a result of Atkinson and Mingarelli for the selfadjoint case and generalizes it to the nonselfadjoint case.