Estimates of the Jost solution to a one-dimensional Schrödinger equation with a singular potential (Q1363952)

The authors consider the Jost solution to the ordinary differential equation \[ d^2\Psi_\nu/dr^2- [\nu(\nu+1)/r^2]\Psi_\nu- q(r)\Psi_\nu= -\lambda^2\Psi_\nu(\lambda, r),\tag{1} \] with a singular potential \[ \Psi_\nu(\lambda, r)={\mathcal A}_\nu(\lambda, r)+ \int^\infty_r K_\nu(r,t){\mathcal A}_\nu(\lambda, t)dt,\tag{2} \] which is the Jost solution if \({\mathcal A}_\nu\) solves the unperturbed Schrödinger equation (1) (with \(q(r)=0\)). Proving existence of the Jost solution amounts to construction of a twice differentiable kernel \(K_\nu(r,t)\). Estimates of this kernel and of the Jost solution turned up in problems of scattering or in inverse problems of quantum mechanics. When \(\nu=0\), that is in the classical Sturm-Liouville system, the existence of solution (2) was proved in 1956 by \textit{B. Ya. Levin} [Dokl. Akad. Nauk SSSR 106, 187-190 (1956; Zbl 0070.10803)]. For singular potentials various conditions have been imposed on the singularity at the origin. In the present paper, the authors consider only one restriction on the otherwise arbitrary singularity at the origin. The class of admissible potentials requires the function \(q(r)\) to be majorized by a function \(p(s)>0\) when \(s>0\), which is integrable at infinity. The authors introduce the Riemann function \(R_\nu(s,\tau;\xi,\eta)\) which is in turn represented as a Legendre function of the first kind \(P_\nu(s,\tau,\xi,\eta)\), and the quantity \(I_q(r,t)= {1\over 2} \int^\infty_\xi R_\nu(x,0;\xi,\eta)|q(x)|dx\), which is also rewritten as an integral of the Legendre function. The authors prove that the Jost representation exists if \(|K_\nu(r,t)|\leq I_p(r,t)\exp\{[(t- r)/2]I_p(r,t)\}\). New estimates are proved for \(|K_\nu(r,t)|\), which reduce to Levin's estimate when \(q=0\). Also a new estimate is offered for potentials of the form: \(q(r)= r^{-2(\beta+1)}\), \(\beta>0\). These results are valid for Yukawa, Barmann, and other singular potentials that do not necessarily obey some formerly enforced conditions, such as constant sign or fast oscillation near the origin. Moreover, the Legendre function formulas derived by the authors may be expressed in terms of elementary functions in many special cases.