Potential theory for Schrödinger operators on finite networks (Q2493574)

The authors of this interesting and carefully written paper consider discrete Schrödinger operators \(L_q(u)(x)=L(u)(x)+q(x)u(x)\) on finite networks, where \(L(u)\) is a combinatorial Laplacian \[ L(u)(x)=\int_V c(x,y)(u(x)-u(y))\,dy. \] A finite network is a finite simple graph with the vertex set \(V\), the integral is, of course, a sum, and the function (conductance) \(c(x,y)=c(y,x)\), \(c(x,y)\geq 0\), and \(c(x,y)=0\) unless the vertices \(x\) and \(y\) are adjacent. For any function \(\sigma (x)\neq 0, x\in V\), the authors define a potential \(q_{\sigma}=-\frac{1}{\sigma}L(\sigma)\) and prove that in turn \(q_{\sigma}\) determines \(\sigma\) up to a multiplicative constant. This allows the authors to develop a comprehensive theory of operators \(L_q\) with potentials \(q\geq q_{\sigma}\); since nontrivial potentials \(q_{\sigma}\) must change sign, this condition is more general than \(q\geq 0\). The authors study the selfadjointness and bilinear forms associated with \(L_q\) and develop the corresponding potential theory (monotonicity and comparison properties, capacity, Green and Poisson kernels). Moreover, they prove a version of the kernel theorem in this setting and derive an integral (i.e. sum) representation of \(L_q\).