Asymptotics of determinants of discrete Schrödinger operators (Q1624172)

Summary: We consider the asymptotics of the determinants of large discrete Schrödinger operators, i.e. ``discrete Laplacian \(+\) diagonal'': \[ T_n(f) = -[\delta_{j,j+1}+\delta_{j+1,j}] + \mathrm{diag}(f(1/n), f(2/n),\dots, f(n/n)) \] We extend a result of \textit{M. Kac} [Enseign. Math. (2) 15, 177--183 (1969; Zbl 0183.04801)] who found a formula for \[ \lim_{n\rightarrow\infty} \frac{\det(T_n(f))}{G(f)^n} \] in terms of the values of \(f\), where \(G(f)\) is a constant. We extend this result in two ways: First, we consider shifting the index: Let \[ T_n(f;\varepsilon) = -[\delta_{j,j+1}+\delta_{j+1,j}] + \mathrm{diag}\Big(f\Big(\frac{\varepsilon}{n}\Big), f\Big(\frac{1+ \varepsilon}{n}\Big), \dots , f\Big(\frac{n-1+ \varepsilon}{n}\Big)\Big). \] We calculate \(\lim \det T_n(f;\varepsilon)/G(f)^n\) and show that this limit can be adjusted to any positive number by shifting \(\varepsilon\), even though the asymptotic eigenvalue distribution of \(T_n(f;\varepsilon)\) does not depend on \(\varepsilon\). Secondly, we derive a formula for the asymptotics of \(\det T_n(f)/G(f)^n\) when \(f\) has jump discontinuities. In this case the asymptotics depend on the fractional part of \(c n\), where \(c\) is a point of discontinuity.