Scattering theory for high order operators in domains with infinite boundary (Q762739)

The theory of scattering for general high order elliptic operators in domains with infinite (non periodic) boundary is studied. Let \(\Omega\), \(\Omega_ 1\) be open sets in \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\), \(\Omega_ 1\subset \Omega\). Let H, and \(H_ 1\) denote a selfadjoint realization in \(L^ 2(\Omega)\), \(L^ 2(\Omega_ 1)\), of formal partial differential operators, P(X,D), \(P_ 1(X,D)\). The two Hilbert space wave operators are defined as \[ W_{\pm}=-\lim_{t\to \pm \infty}e^{itH_ 1}J e^{-ith}P_{ac}(H), \] where \(P_{ac}(H)\) is the projector onto the subspace of absolute continuity of H, and J is the restriction operator from \(L^ 2(\Omega)\) into \(L^ 2(\Omega_ 1).\) It is proved that the wave operators exist, that they are complete, and that the invariance principle holds, under mild regularity assumptions on the part of the boundary outside of some ball. The coefficients of P(X,D) and \(P_ 1(X,D)\) are allowed to have strong singularities in a bounded part of \(\Omega\), \(\Omega_ 1.\) The boundary of \(\Omega_ 1\) is to be ''asymptotic'' to the one of \(\Omega\), and similarly for the coefficients of P, and \(P_ 1\). The general perturbation results presented in this paper allow to consider a large class of unbounded obstacles in \({\mathbb{R}}^ n\) that are a perturbation of obstacles that have a particular geometry that allows for an explicit solution. Examples are given. The method of proof consists in studying the behavior of the kernel of \((H+\lambda)^{-M}\), and \((H_ 1+\lambda)^{-M}\), \(M>>0\), close to the boundary, by means of elliptic regularity. Once this is accomplished the theorems are proved by a trace class result. The case when the boundary is bounded (bounded obstacles) is a classical problem, and it has been extensively studied. The unbounded case poses many new challenging problems.