The \(\xi\) function (Q1372997)

The authors introduce a novel special function \(\xi(x,\lambda)\) on \(\mathbb{R}\times\mathbb{R}\) associated to the one-dimensional Schrödinger operator \(H= -d^2/dx^2+ V(x)\), where the potential has the property \(\lim_{|x|\to \infty} V(x)\) \(= \infty\) and \(H\) has discrete spectrum. This new function may be a valuable tool in the spectral and inverse spectral theory of the operators possessing such a property at infinity. The \(\xi\)-function complements the Weyl \(m\)-function, \(m_\pm(x,\lambda)\). As a main application of the \(\xi\)-function, the authors present a generalization of the trace formula for Schrödinger operators to general potentials \(V\).