The spectral density of a difference of spectral projections (Q2354002)

Based on author's abstract: Let \(H_0\) and \(H\) be a pair of lower semi-bounded self-adjoint operators such that \(H-H_0\) is compact. It is known from previous works (initiated by M. G. Krein) that if \(\lambda\) belongs to the absolutely continuous spectrum of \(H_0\) and \(H\), then the difference of spectral projections \[ D(\lambda)={\mathbf 1}_{(-\infty,0)}(H-\lambda)-{\mathbf 1}_{(-\infty,0)}(H_0-\lambda) \] in general is not compact and has non-trivial absolutely continuous spectrum. In the paper under review, the author considers the compact approximations \(D_\varepsilon(\lambda)\) of \(D(\lambda)\), given by \[ D_\varepsilon(\lambda) = \psi_\varepsilon(H-\lambda)-\psi_\varepsilon(H_0-\lambda), \] where \(\psi_\varepsilon(x)=\psi(x/\varepsilon)\) and \(\psi(x)\) is a smooth real-valued function which tends to \(\mp1/2\) as \(x\to\pm\infty\). It is assumed that \(H=H_0+V\), where \(V\) is \(H_0\)-form compact (subjected to some natural conditions of smooth scattering theory); \((H_0 + bI)^{-k}-(H + bI)^{-k}\in {\mathbf S}_p\) for some \(b \in {\mathbb R}\) and for some \(k \in {\mathbb N}\), where \({\mathbf S}_p\) is a Schatten class with an exponent \(p < \infty\). It is proved that the eigenvalues of \(D_\varepsilon(\lambda)\) concentrate to the absolutely continuous spectrum of \(D(\lambda)\) as \(\varepsilon\to+0\) and the rate of concentration is proportional to \(|\log\varepsilon|\). An explicit formula for the asymptotic density of these eigenvalues is obtained (this density is independent of \(\psi\)). The proof relies on the analysis of Hankel operators.