Oscillation theory for indefinite Sturm-Liouville problems with eigenparameter-dependent boundary conditions (Q4374787)

The authors extend their theory [Proc. Edinb. Math. Soc., II. Ser. 37, No. 1, 57-72 (1993; Zbl 0791.34023); Proc. R. Soc. Edinb., Sect. A 125, 1205-1218 (1995; Zbl 0852.34024)] of eigenvalue problems \[ -(pq')'+ qy= \lambda ry\quad\text{in }I= (0,1)\tag{1} \] \[ (\lambda a_j+ b_j)y(j)= (\lambda c_j+ d_j)(py')(j),\quad j=0,1, \] where \(\lambda\) denotes the eigenparameter, \(a_j\), \(b_j\), \(c_j\), \(d_j\) are constants, and \(p\), \(q\), \(r\) are functions in \(I\) with \(1/p\in L^1(I,\mathbb{R}_+)\), \(q\in L^1(I,\mathbb{R})\), \(r\in L^\infty(I,\mathbb{R})\). New techniques based on 2-parameter embedding [see the authors, Appl. Anal. 29, No. 1/2, 107-142 (1988; Zbl 0683.47011)] are used to treat problems (1) which are ``right semidefinite'', ``left definite'' or ``indefinite'', as described previously, op. cit. For example, \(r(x)\) can have both signs on sets of positive measure in \(I\) and \(a_jd_j- b_jc_j\) can have either sign. In the right semidefinite case, the oscillation of eigenfunctions resembles that in classic Sturmian theory for all but finitely many eigenvalues \(\lambda_i\), but with an index shift, i.e., for some integers \(j_0\) and \(k\), \(\lambda_{j+k}\) has an eigenfunction with \(j\) zeros in \(I\) for all \(j>j_0\). Analogues of this are proved in the other cases and a detailed illustration is included.