Discrete observability of a generalized wave equation on a compact homogeneous space (Q4259130)

The equation is \[ {\partial^2 y(t, x) \over \partial t^2} = Dy(t, x) \] in a homogeneous space \(X = G/K,\) \(G\) a compact Lie group. The operator \(D : L^2(X) \to L^2(X)\) is normal with pure point spectrum and the eigenvalues have finite multiplicity bounded by a polynomial of degree \(= \dim G.\) The equation is discretely observable at \(x_0 \in X\) for times \(t_0, t_1\) if, for every neighborhood \(V\) of \(x_0\) there is a countable subset \(\{x_j\} \in V\) such that the samples \(y(t_j, x_k)\) determine the solution. There is a corresponding definition of approximate discrete observability. The author proves a discrete observability theorem and various related results with application to the wave equation on the \(n\)-sphere \(S^n.\) The paper contains information on other discrete observability results in the literature.