On negative eigenvalues of generalized Laplace operators. (Q5960839)

A generalized Laplace operator \(-\widetilde\Delta\) is a self-adjoint operator in \(L_2\equiv L_2(\mathbb{R}^n)\) which coincides with \(-\Delta\) on some dense subspace \({\mathcal D}\) of \(L_2\). In the present paper it is assumed also that \(D(-\widetilde\Delta)\subset W^1_2\). It is shown that, under some technical assumptions, \(-\widetilde\Delta\) admits a generalized sum representation \(-\widetilde\Delta= -\Delta\widetilde+ T\), where \(T: W^1_2\to W^{-1}_2\) is an \(L_2\)-singular operator in the sense that \(\ker(T)\) is dense in \(L_2\). The aim of the paper under review is to investigate the number of negative eigenvalues of operators of the form \(-\widetilde\Delta= -\Delta\widetilde+ \alpha T\), where \(T\) is a positive \(L_2\)-singular operator and \(\alpha\) is a negative coupling constant. Under the assumption that \((1 -\Delta)^{-1}T\) has a discrete spectrum, criteria for the number of negative eigenvalues to be finite and infinite are given and examples discussed.