Sturm-Liouville problems with transfer condition Herglotz dependent on the eigenparameter: Hilbert space formulation (Q723542)

The authors develop direct spectral theory for the pencil of Sturm-Liouville operators with transmission conditions, rationally dependent on the spectral parameter. Namely, the Sturm-Liouville equation \[ -y'' + q y = \lambda y \tag{1} \] is considered on the intervals \((-a, 0)\) and \((0, b)\), where \(a, b > 0\) and \(q \in L^2(-a, b)\), with the boundary conditions \[ y(-a) \cos \alpha = y'(-a) \sin \alpha, \quad y(b) \cos \beta = y'(b) \sin \beta, \tag{2} \] where \(\alpha, \beta \in [0, \pi)\), together with the transmission conditions \[ y(0^+) \mu(\lambda) = y'(0^+) - y'(0^-), \quad y'(0^-) \nu(\lambda) = y(0^+) - y(0^-), \tag{3} \] where \[ \mu(\lambda) = -\left(\lambda \eta - \xi - \sum_{i = 1}^N \frac{b_i^2}{\lambda - c_i} \right), \] \[ \nu(\lambda) = \lambda \kappa + \zeta - \sum_{j = 1}^M \frac{a_j^2}{\lambda - d_j}, \] \[ \eta, \kappa \geq 0, \quad b_i, a_j > 0, \quad i = 1, \ldots, N, \: j = 1, \ldots M, \] \[ c_1 < c_2 < \ldots < c_N, \quad d_1 < d_2 < \ldots < d_M. \] The authors show that the maximum geometric multiplicity of an eigenvalue of the boundary value problem (1)--(3) is \(2\), and such eigenvalues can occur only at the poles of \(\mu(\lambda)\) and \(\nu(\lambda)\). Characterization of the cases, when the eigenvalue multiplicity equals \(2\), is given. The two extreme cases are considered: when the number of double eigenvalues is maximal possible and when, on the contrary, all the eigenvalues are simple. The authors also obtain explicit formulas for the Green's function of (1)--(3). Further a Hilbert space formulation of (1)-(3) as an operator eigenvalue problem in the space \(L^2(-a,b) \oplus \mathbb C^{N^*} \oplus \mathbb C^{M^*}\), for suitable numbers \(N^*\) and \(M^*\), is given. This operator in the Hilbert space is shown to be self-adjoint. Finally, its resolvent is constructed.