The negative discrete spectrum of the operator \((-\Delta)^ l-\alpha V\) in \(L_ 2(\mathbb{R}^ d)\) for \(d\) even and \(2l\geq d\) (Q1359480)

The authors consider a selfadjoint realization of \(A(\alpha)= (-\Delta)^l-\alpha V\), \(\alpha>0\), in \(L_2(\mathbb{R}^d)\), where \(V\) is a real potential decaying at infinity. The asymptotic behaviour for \(\alpha\to\infty\) of the number \({\mathcal N}(\alpha)\) of negative eigenvalues of the operator \(A(\alpha)\) is investigated when \(d\) is even and \(2l\geq d\). This is the only case where previous results were far from being complete. Here the variational approach is used to reduce the problem to the study of a compact operator in a suitable Sobolev space. In order to describe the results, an auxiliary system of ordinary differential operators on the semiaxis is introduced. Depending on the spectral properties of this operator one can distinguish between three cases: (1) \({\mathcal N}(\alpha)\) is of the Weyl type, (2) \({\mathcal N}(\alpha)\) is of the Weyl order but not of the Weyl type, and (3) \({\mathcal N}(\alpha)=O(\alpha^q)\) with some \(q>d/2l\).