Scattering at zero energy for attractive homogeneous potentials (Q621411)

The authors consider the Schrödinger operator \(H=-\Delta +V\) in \(L^2({\mathbb R}^d)\) with long-range potential \(V(x)=-\gamma|x|^{-\mu}+W(|x|)\), where \(\gamma>0\), \(0<\mu<2\), and \(W(r)\) is a fast decaying perturbation. It is proved that the scattering matrix \(S(0)\) at energy zero for the scattering pair \((H,-\Delta)\) is of the form \[ \exp\left( -i {{\pi\mu}\over {2-\mu}}\sqrt{-\Delta_{{\mathbb S}^{d-1}} + \left({d-2\over 2}\right)^2}\right) + K, \] where \(K\) is some compact operator. The proof is based on a careful one-dimensional WKB-analysis, simultaneously in each angular momentum sector. In the preprint version of the paper under review the authors formulated a conjecture that \(K=0\) in the case \(W=0\). This conjecture was proved by \textit{R. Frank} [Ann. Henri Poincaré 10, No. 3, 573--575 (2009; Zbl 1205.81128)].