Verification of spectral analysis of a self-adjoint differential operator ``following Landau and Lifshitz'' by means of its Green function (Q2193518)

The paper deals with the ordinary differential operator \(\hat f_N\) in \(L^2(\mathbb R_+)\) induced by the differential expression \(\hat f_N \psi(x) = \psi^{(4)}(x)\) and the boundary conditions \(\psi'(0) + \psi''(0) = 0\), \(\psi(0) + \psi'''(0) = 0\) in the appropriate domain. This operator is borrowed from [\textit{M. A. Naimark}, Linear differential operators. Moscow: Nauka (1969; Zbl 0193.04101)] and is remarkable because its point and continuous spectra intersect. The author finds the spectrum and the eigenfunctions of the operator \(\hat f_N\) using the approach of [\textit{L. D. Landau} and \textit{E. M. Lifshitz}, Quantum mechanics: non-relativistic theory. Moscow: Nauka (1963; Zbl 0178.57901)] based on heuristic physical arguments and analogies with linear algebra. The goal of the author is to obtain mathematical justification of this method widely applied by physicists. The arguments are based on the construction and the evaluation of the Green function for the considered operator.