Reflection positivity on real intervals (Q1639998)

The paper deals with studying positive definite, negative definite, reflection positive and reflection negative functions on intervals of the real line. Given a set \(X\), a kernel \(Q:X\times X\to\mathbb{C}\) is called positive definite if \(\sum_{j,k=1}^n c_j\overline{c_k}Q(x_j,x_k)\geq 0\) for all \(n\in\mathbb{N}\), all \(x_1,\ldots,x_n\in X\) and all \(c_1,\ldots,c_n\in \mathbb{C}\). Positive definite kernels \(Q\) are hermitian: \(Q(x,y)= \overline{Q(y,x)}\). A kernel \(Q\) is called negative definite if \(Q\) is hermitian and \(\sum_{j,k=1}^n c_j\overline{c_k}Q(x_j,x_k)\leq 0\) for all \(n\geq 2\), all \(x_1,\ldots,x_n\in X\) and all \(c_1,\ldots,c_n\in\mathbb{C}\) with \(\sum_{j=1}^n c_j=0\). A kernel \(Q\) is negative definite if and only if \(e^{-hQ}\) is positive definite for every \(h>0\). Let \(-\infty\leq a<b\leq\infty\). A function \(f:(a,b)\to\mathbb{R}\) is said to be positive definite if the kernel \(f(\frac{x+y}{2})\) is positive definite, and negative definite if the kernel \(f(\frac{x+y}{2})\) is negative definite. A function \(f:(-a,a)\to\mathbb{R}\) is called reflection positive if both kernels \(f(\frac{x+y}{2})\) and \(f(\frac{x-y}{2})\) are positive definite. A function \(f\) is called reflection negative if the function \(e^{-hf}\) is reflection positive for every \(h>0\). Two main results of the paper concern Lévy-Khintchine formulas for negative definite functions on open intervals of \(\mathbb{R}\) and increasing negative definite functions on \(\mathbb{R}_+\). They read as follows. Fix \(t_0\in(a,b)\). A function \(\psi:(a,b)\to\mathbb{R}\) is negative definite if and only if there exists a positive measure \(\mu\) on \(\mathbb{R}\) and \(c,d\in\mathbb{R}\) such that \[ \psi(t)=c+d(t-t_0)+\int_{\mathbb{R}}e_\lambda(t)e^{-\lambda t_0}d\mu(\lambda), \] where \[ e_\lambda(t):=\begin{cases}\frac{1-\lambda(t-t_0)-e^{-\lambda(t-t_0)}}{\lambda^2} &\text{for }\;\lambda\neq 0,\\ -(t-t_0)^2/2 &\text{for }\;\lambda=0.\end{cases} \] Then \(c=\psi(t_0)\), \(d=\psi'(t_0)\) and \(\mu\) is uniquely determined by \(-\psi''= {\mathcal L}(\mu)\). A positive measure \(\mu\) occurs for some \(\psi\) if and only if its Laplace transform \({\mathcal L}(\mu)\) is finite on \((a,b)\). A function \(\psi:(0,\infty)\to\mathbb{R}\) is negative definite and increasing if and only if there exists a positive measure \(\mu\) on \(\mathbb{R}\) and \(c\in\mathbb{R}\) such that \[ \psi(t)=c+\int_{[0,\infty)}f_\lambda(t)d\mu(\lambda),\quad\text{where }\;f_\lambda(t):= \begin{cases}\frac{e^{-\lambda}-e^{-\lambda t}}{\lambda}&\text{for }\;\lambda\neq 0,\\ t-1 &\text{for }\;\lambda=0.\end{cases} \] Then \(c=\psi(1)\) and \(\mu\) is uniquely determined by \(\psi'={\mathcal L}(\mu)\). A positive measure \(\mu\) occurs if and only if its Laplace transform \({\mathcal L}(\mu)\) is finite on \((0,\infty)\). Other main results of the paper are related to characterizations of reflection positive functions on \([-a,a]\) and reflection negative functions on \(\mathbb{R}\).