Eigenvalues of second-order symmetric equations on time scales with periodic and antiperiodic boundary conditions (Q2518722)

The paper deals with the following second-order symmetric linear equation \[ -(p(t)y^{\Delta}(t))^{\Delta} + q(t)y^{\sigma}(t) = \lambda r(t)y^{\sigma}(t), \;t \in [\rho(0),\rho(1)]\cap \mathbb{T}, \tag{1} \] with the periodic boundary conditions: \[ y(\rho(0)) = y(1), \;y^{\Delta}(\rho(0)) = y^{\Delta}(1), \tag{2} \] and with the antiperiodic boundary conditions: \[ y(\rho(0)) = - y(1), \;y^{\Delta}(\rho(0)) = - y^{\Delta}(1), \tag{3} \] where \(\mathbb{T}\) is a time scale, \(0,1 \in \mathbb{T};\) \(p^{\Delta}, q,\) and \(r\) are real and continuous functions in \([\rho(0),\rho(1)]\cap \mathbb{T}, p > 0\) over \([\rho(0),1]\cap \mathbb{T},\) \(r > 0\) over \([\rho(0),\rho(1)]\cap \mathbb{T},\) and \(p(\rho(0) = p(1) = 1;\) \(\sigma(t) = \inf\{ s \in \mathbb{T}: s > t\},\) \(\rho(t) = \sup\{ s \in \mathbb{T}: s < t\},\) \(y^{\Delta}\) is the delta derivative, and \(y^{\sigma}(t) := y(\sigma(t)).\) The authors prove that the periodic and antiperiodic boundary value problems (1) with (2) and (1) with (3) have \(N_d+1\) real eigenvalues \(\{\lambda_i\}_{i=0}^{N_d}\) and \(\{\tilde\lambda_i\}_{i=1}^{N_d+1},\) respectively, and they satisfy the following inequality: \[ -\infty < \lambda_0 < \tilde\lambda_1 \leq \tilde\lambda_2 < \lambda_1 \leq \lambda_2 < \tilde\lambda_3 \leq \tilde\lambda_4 < \lambda_3 \leq \lambda_3 < \dots, \] where \(N_d := |[0,1]\cap \mathbb{T}| - \text{def}(\mu(\rho(0))) - 1,\) \(|T|\) is the number of points of a set \(T \subset R,\) \(\mu(t) = \sigma(t) - t,\) \(\text{def} a = 0\) if \(a \not= 0\) and \(\text{def} a = 1\) if \(a = 0.\)