Inverse spectral theory for uniformly open gaps in a weighted Sturm-Liouville problem (Q2343235)

The inverse problem is studied for the Sturm-Liouville operator \(\mathcal{L}_s\), associated with the eigenvalue problem \[ y'' + \lambda s(x)y = 0, \] where \(s\) is a real-valued, periodic, even function that is bounded from below by a positive constant and belongs to \(L_2\)-based Sobolev space \(H^r[0, 1]\), \(r \geq 1\). The spectrum of the operator \(\mathcal{L}_s\) consists of countable set of real intervals separated by possibly void open intervals, called gaps. The spectral map \(\mathcal{G}\) is defined, that assigns to the coefficient \(s\) the collection of the gap lengths and the scaling coefficient from the asymptotics of the gap midpoins. The authors prove that the map \(\mathcal{G}\) is a real-analytic isomorphism locally around \(s = 1\). As a corollary of this result, it is shown that there exist coefficients \(s \in H^r[0, 1]\), \(r < 3/2\), such that all gaps are uniformly open around the gap midpoints. The authors use the method of \textit{J. Pöschel} and \textit{E. Trubowitz} [Inverse spectral theory. Pure and Applied Mathematics, Vol. 130. Boston etc.: Academic Press, Inc., Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers. (1987; Zbl 0623.34001)]. In order to obtain asymptotic representations for solutions of the weighted equation, they adapt techniques used for Sturm-Liouville operators with distribution potential.