On trace identities and universal eigenvalue estimates for some partial differential operators (Q4336541)

The authors establish an identity for the spectra of selfadjoint operators \(H\) modelled on Schrödinger operators of the form \(\{(p- A(x))^2+ V(x)\}\), where \(p= (1/i)\nabla\) is the usual momentum operator and \(A(x)\) denotes the magnetic vector potential. Several known inequalities involving sums, differences, and ratios of eigenvalues are recovered and extended. It has become clear that these and many similar results can be realized as special cases of abstract variational bounds involving commutators of \((-\Delta)\), a Cartesian coordinate \(x_j\) and the corresponding derivative \(\partial/\partial x_j\). These inequalities whilst reasonably sharp for low-lying eigenvalues are quite disappointing for the higher eigenvalues. It is pointed out that improvements offered by Hille-Protter have been further modified by Yang. The authors establish an exact identity which implies the Yang bound, the Hille-Protter bound, and several new ones. The presented analysis is entirely non-variational.