Convergence of solutions of a second order Cauchy problem (Q795215)

Consider the Cauchy problems \(A_ nu_ n\!''(t)=Bu_ n(t)\), \(u_ n(0)=x\), \(u_ n\!'(0)=y\); x,\(y\in D(B)\), for \(n=0,1,2,..\). where \(A_ n\) and B are linear operators on a complex Hilbert space \(\chi\) and \(A_ 0=I\), the identity operator. For \(n\geq 1\), assume that (i) \(A_ n\) is one to one (ii) \(D(B)\subset D(A_ n),\) (iii) \(<A_ nx,Bx>\leq 0\) for \(x\in D(B)\), and \((\lambda A_ n-B)D(B)=\chi\) for some \(\lambda>0\). It is shown, without using energy space techniques, that there exists a unique solution \(u_ n\) for x,\(y\in D(B)\), \(n\geq 1\). Also, energy is conserved and if B is one to one, then energy is asymptotically equipartitioned in the Cesàro sense. In addition to assumptions (i)-(iv), assume that (v) \(A_ n\) converges to I in the sense that \(\lim_{n\to \infty}\sup_{x\in D(B),x\neq 0}\| x-A_ nx\| /(\| Bx\| +\| x\|)=0.\) The main result of the paper is that there exists a unique solution \(u_ 0\) and that \(u_ n\) converges to \(u_ 0\) uniformly for t in compact subsets in \({\mathbb{R}}\). Applications to initial-boundary value problems for partial differential equations are given.