Trace formula for fourth order operators on the circle (Q2448478)

The starting point of this paper is the equation \[ - y''(x) + q(x)y(x) = \lambda y(x) \eqno(1) \] with 1-periodic potential \(q(x)\). Let \(\alpha_0^+ < \alpha_1^- \leq \alpha_1^+ < \alpha_2^- \leq \dots\) be the eigenvalues of (1) with 2-periodic boundary conditions (eigenvalues have multiplicity \(\leq 2)\) and let \(\beta_1(t) < \beta_2(t) < \dots\) be the eigenvalues of (1) with shifted potential \(q(\cdot + t)\) and Dirichlet boundary conditions. It is known that \(\beta_n(t) \in [\alpha_n^-, \alpha_n^+]\). The \textit{trace formula} \[ q(t) = \alpha_0^+ + \sum_{n=1}^\infty \Big(\alpha_n^+ + \alpha_n^- - 2\beta_n(t)\Big) \eqno(2) \] has been shown with increasing generality by various authors; in its latest version, it is only required that \(q(\cdot) \in L^2\). The authors obtain a similar formula for the fourth order equation \[ y''''(x) + 2 ((p(x)y'(x))' + q(x)y(x) = \lambda y(x) \eqno(3) \] with \(p \in W_4^1,\) \(q \in W_2^1\). The eigenvalues of (3) with 2-periodic boundary conditions are labeled \(\lambda_0^+ \leq \lambda_1^- \leq \lambda_1^+ \leq \lambda_2^- \leq\) and have multiplicity \(\leq 4\). The eigenvalues of (3) with shifted coefficients \(p(\cdot + t),\) \(q(\cdot + t)\) and boundary conditions of Dirichlet type \(y(0) = y''(0) = y(1) = y''(1) = 0\) are \(\mu_1(t) \leq \mu_2(t) \leq \mu_3(t) \dots\) (multiplicity \(\leq 2)\). The formula corresponding to (2) for equation (3) is \[ q(t) - {p''(t) \over 2} = \lambda_0^+ + \sum_{n=1}^\infty \Big(\lambda_n^+ + \lambda_n^- - 2\mu_n(t)\Big) . \]