The Laguerre type operator in a left definite Hilbert space (Q1895137)

Consider the fourth-order Laguerre type differential equation \(L_k f = \lambda_{k,n}f\) where \(L_k f = [1/e^{-x}] [(x^2e^{\cdot x} f'')'' - ((2A + 2)x + 2) e^{\cdot x} f')' + ke^{-x} f]\), \(A > 0\), \(k > 0\), and \(\lambda_{k,n} = (2A + 2) n + n(n - 1) + k\), \(n = 0,1, \dots\). The operator \(T_k\) is defined by setting \(T_k f = - 2Af'(0) = kf(0)\), \(x = 0\), \(T_k f = L_kf\), \(x \in (0, \infty)\) for all \(f \in \Delta_k\) (subspace of \(L^2 (0, \infty; e^{-x})\). Let \(H^2\) be the Hilbert space (Sobolev space) generated by the inner product \[ (f,g)_z = \int^\infty_0 \biggl[ x^2 e^{-x} f'' \overline g'' + \bigl( (2A + 2) x + 2 \bigr) e^{-x} f' \overline g' \biggr] dx + \int_0^\infty kf \overline g d \mu (x). \] The differential operator \(S_k\) is defined by \(S_k f = T_kf\) for all \(f \in {\mathcal D}_k\) where \({\mathcal D}_k\) is the subspace of all elements \(f \in H^2\) that satisfy \(f \in \Delta_k\) and \(T_kf \in H^2\). The authors investigate the spectral analysis of \(S_k\) and give some interesting results. Theorem 1: \(S_k\) is densely defined in \(H^2\) and is symmetric. Theorem 2: The spectrum of \(S_k\) is discrete and consists of the same eigenvalues held by \(T_k\). Theorem 3: The resolvent operator \((S_k - \lambda I)^{-1}\) exists if \(\lambda \in \rho (S_k)\) and is a bounded operator. Theorem 4: \(S_k\) is a positive, self-adjoint operator with domain \({\mathcal D}_k\).