Non self-adjoint quasi-differential operators with discrete spectra (Q1912633)

The paper investigates the spectral properties of regularly solvable operators with respect to the minimal operators \(T_0\) and \(T^+_0\) generated by a general ordinary quasi-differential expression \(M\) and its formal adjoint \(M^+\) in \(L^2(a,b)\) with a suitable weight function \(w\) \((L^2_w(a,b))\). The class of operators which are well-posed with respect to \(T_0\) and \(T^+_0\) are examined. In the case, where all the solutions of the equation \((M-\lambda w)u=0\), \((M^+-\overline\lambda w)u=0\) are in \(L^2_w(a,b)\) for some \(\lambda\in\mathbb{C}\), it is shown that the well-posed operators have resolvent which are Hilbert-Schmidt integral operators. Correspondingly, they have a wholly discrete spectrum. As a consequence, all the regularly solvable operators have empty essential spectrum. These results extend those for formally symmetric expressions known in literature.