Tau functions associated with linear systems (Q1980908)

The authors examine some features of Fredholm determinants which arise in the theory of linear systems, focusing on their application to inverse spectral problems for the one-dimensional stationary Schrödinger equation. The main results refer to the solution of the Lyapunov differential equation associated to a linear system \((-A,B,C)\), where \(A\) is a sectorial generator of a strongly continuous semigroup on the state space \(H\), while \(B : H_0 \to H\) and \(C: H \to H_0\) are Hilbert-Schmidt operators related to an auxiliary input/output Hilbert space \(H_0\). Firstly, existence and uniqueness of a trace-class solution of Lyapunov's equation is proved. Building on this, the authors derive a fundamental identity relating the Fredholm determinant of the Hankel operator for the scattering function \(\phi(x) = C e^{-x A} B\) (\(x > 0\)) to that of the solution of Lyapunov's equation. The lack of a natural product structure for Hankel operators is also addressed. In this regard the authors characterize a non-commutative differential ring of operators on the state space, which allows to extend previous results of Pöppe and MacKean on multiplication rules for Fredholm determinants. Finally, sufficient conditions granting the integrability of certain differential equations of KdV type and some results on the diagonal Green function associated to the linear system are provided. The arguments presented in the paper are rigorous, albeit a careful reading of the proofs is sometimes necessary in order to follow through certain details and some understood assumptions. The results reported in the first part of the paper might be of interest for a wider range of applications. For the entire collection see [Zbl 1471.47002].