Spectral properties of unbounded \(J\)-self-adjoint block operator matrices (Q528815)

An enclosure and variational principles for the spectrum of unbounded \(J\)-self-adjoint block operator matrices of the form \[ M_0 := \begin{bmatrix} A & B\\ -B^* & D \end{bmatrix} \] are shown. Here, all entries are allowed to be unbounded, where \(A\) and \(D\) are semi-bounded, self-adjoint operators in the Hilbert spaces \(H_1\) and \(H_2\), respectively. In this general setting, it is not guaranteed that \(M_0\) has a closure which is \(J\)-self-adjoint, or, what is the same, which is self-adjoint in the Krein space \(H_1 \times H_2\) with inner product \([ \cdot , \cdot ] := (J \cdot , \cdot )\), where \(J= \operatorname{diag} (I, -I)\). Here, \(( \cdot , \cdot )\) stands for the standard Hilbert space inner product of \(H_1 \times H_2\). Hence, two classes of of \(J\)-self-adjoint block operator matrices are studied: upper dominant and diagonally dominant. In these two situations, \(M_0\) has a \(J\)-self-adjoint closure \(M\) with non-empty resolvent set. Moreover, there exist real numbers \(a\) and \(b \geq 0\) such that \[ \| B^* x\| \leq a \| x\|^2+ b (Ax,x) \quad \text{for all } x \text{ in the domain of } A. \] Then enclosures for the spectrum of \(M\) are proved in terms of the above constants \(a, b\), and the location of the spectra of \(A\) and \(D\). Under some additional conditions, the spectrum of \(M\) turns out to be real and it is contained in one or in two disjoint intervals. The second set of results are about the characterization of eigenvalues via variational principles. Instead of the classical Rayleigh quotient, two functionals are used; one is related to the quadratic numerical range and the other is associated with the Schur complement. Finally, it is shown that there exists a real interval of the form \((\mu, \infty)\) where the spectrum of \(M\) is of positive type. This implies the existence of a local spectral function in the sense of \textit{H. Langer} et al. [Math. Ann. 308, No. 3, 405--424 (1997; Zbl 0879.47017)].