Oscillation criteria for second order self-adjoint matrix differential equations (Q4949751)

The authors investigate oscillatory properties of the selfadjoint matrix differential equation \[ (P(t)Y')'+Q(t)Y=0, \tag{*} \] where \(P,Q,Y\) are \(n\times n\)-matrices of real-valued functions, \(P,Q\) are symmetric and \(P\) is positive definite. A typical result is the following statement: Suppose that the matrix \(P^{-1}(t)-I\) is nonnegative definite, \[ \lim_{t\to \infty} \left(\int_0^t f(s) ds)\right)^{-1} \int_0^t f(s)\left(\int_0^s \text{tr }Q(u) du\right) ds=\infty, \] where \(f\) is a nonnegative, locally integrable function on \([0,\infty)\) such that \(\int_0^x f(t) dt\not\equiv 0\) and \(\int_0^\infty f(t)[(\int_0^t f^2(s) ds)^{-1} (\int_0^t f(s) ds)^k] ds=\infty\) for some \(k\in [0,1]\), and tr stands for the trace of the matrix indicated. Then the matrix equation (*) is oscillatory. Recall that (*) is said to be oscillatory if there exist a prepared solution \(Y\) (i.e. \(P(t)Y'Y\) is symmetric) and a sequence \(t_n\to \infty\) such that \(\det Y(t_n)=0\). The assumption \(P^{-1}(t)-I\) to be nonnegative definite means that (*) is the Sturmian majorant of the equation \[ Y''+P(t)Y=0 \tag{**} \] (i.e. oscillation of (**) implies oscillation of (*)) and the theorem above given is actually an oscillation criterion for (**). Note also that oscillation criteria given in the paper reduce in the scalar case \(n=1\) to criteria by \textit{W. J. Coles} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 19, 755-759 (1968; Zbl 0172.11702)].