WKB and spectral analysis of one-dimensional Schrödinger operators with slowly varying potentials (Q5940405)

The authors consider a Schrödinger operator and extend the scope of the widely used WKB method to analyze the asymptotic behavior at infinity of generalized eigenfunctions in one dimension (almost all bounded). They consider the case where the potential may decay slowly (or not at all), but where at least one derivative decays at a moderate rate. WKB asymptotics (which have an unstable parameter dependence) are established for almost every energy. This work advances the analysis, deducing the existence of the absolutely continuous spectrum, using the WKB method.