New type of Sturm-Liouville problems in associated Hilbert spaces (Q2249978)

Consider the Sturm-Liouville eigenvalue problem \[ L u := -u'' + q u = \lambda u \text{ on } [-1,0) \cup (0,1] \] subject to \(\lambda\)-dependent boundary conditions of the form \[ \alpha_1 u(-1) + \alpha_2 u'(-1) = 0, \beta_1 u(1) - \beta_2 u'(1) + \lambda (\beta_1' u(1) - \beta_2' u'(1)) = 0 \] and so-called transmission conditions at \(x=0\) of the form \[ \gamma_1 u(0-) - \delta_1 u(0+) = 0, \gamma_2 u'(0-) - \delta_2 u'(0+) = 0. \] Here, it is assumed that \(q\) is a real continuous function on \([-1,0) \cup (0,1]\) with finite limits \(q(0 \pm)\) and all coefficients are real satisfying \(\beta_1' \beta_2 - \beta_2' \beta_1 > 0\), \(\delta_1 \delta_2 > 0\), \(\gamma_1 \gamma_2 > 0\). As a first result of the paper it turns out that the associated operator is self-adjoint in the Hilbert space \(L_2 (-1,0) \oplus L_2(0,1) \oplus \mathbb C\) equipped with a suitable weighted inner product. In a next step, an additional abstract linear operator \(T\) with \(D(T) \subset W^2_2 (-1,0) \oplus W^2_2(0,1)\) is allowed in the differential expression, i.e., \[ L u = -u'' + q u + Tu. \] If \({\mathcal L}\) denotes the associated operator in the above Hilbert space then the resolvent operator \(({\mathcal L} - \lambda I)^{-1}\) is studied on a subregion of the complex plane. If \(T\) is compact as an operator from \(W^2_2 (-1,0) \oplus W^2_2(0,1)\) to \(L_2 (-1,0) \oplus L_2(0,1)\) then certain (coercive) norm estimates are obtained and, as a consequence, the spectrum of the associated eigenvalue problem is discrete. Finally, a formula for the asymptotic behaviour of the (not necessarily real) eigenvalues is shown under a certain compactness condition on \(T\).