The essential spectrum of canonical systems (Q1985552)

In \(L^2(0,\infty)^2\) a canonical \(2\times 2\) system is considered which is generated by a symmetric matrix \(H\) with \(\sin^2\varphi\) and \(\cos^2\varphi\) on the diagonal and \(g\sin\varphi\cos\varphi\) on the off-diagonal, \(\varphi\) a function in \([-\pi/2, \pi/2]\). (As a consequence a unique self-adjoint operator \(S(H)\) can be associated with this canonical system once a boundary condition is imposed at zero.) \(\sin\varphi\) is assumed to be of integrable square on \((0,\infty)\) and \(g\) is a function with \(0\le g\le 1\). If \(g\) is identically zero, the Hamiltonian is denoted by \(H_d\). Let \(M(H)\) be the smallest value of \(|t|\) for which \(t\) is in the essential spectrum of \(S(H)\). Introducing Prüfer variables and using oscillation theory, the authors show \[\frac{1}{2} M(H_d)\le M(H)\le cM(H_d).\] (Their constant \(c\) is explicitly given, but possibly not sharp in contrast to the lower bound.) In particular, \(M(H)=\infty\) iff \(M(H_d)=\infty\); in other words, it is only the diagonal of \(H\) which decides whether the spectrum of \(S(H)\) is purely discrete or not. (Studying the resolvent of \(S(H)\), this latter result had been found by \textit{R. Romanov} and \textit{H. Woracek} [J. Funct. Anal. 278, No. 4, Article ID 108318, 44 p. (2020; Zbl 1464.37056)].) The authors also use their method to obtain explicit upper and lower bounds for \(M(H_d)\).