Exponential asymptotics and adiabatic invariance of a simple oscillator (Q857081)

The main mathematical object of the paper is the differential equation \[ \varepsilon^2\ddot{u}+\phi^2(t)u=0 \] with \(\varepsilon>0\) a small parameter. Defining \[ r^2(t,\varepsilon)=\phi(t)u^2+\varepsilon^2\phi(t)^{-1}(\dot{u})^2 \] it is shown that \[ \lim_{t\rightarrow\infty}r^2(t,\varepsilon)-\lim_{t\rightarrow-\infty}r^2(t,\varepsilon) =O(\varepsilon^n)\;\forall n\geq 0 \] using the Liouville transformation \[ \xi=\int^t\phi(s)ds\;,\;W(\xi)=\{\phi(t)\}^{1/2}u \] and the WKB approximation. In this way, the proofs of \textit{J. E. Littlewood} [Ann. Phys. 21, 233--242 (1963; Zbl 0123.05103)] and \textit{W. Wasow} [SIAM J. Math. Anal. 4, 78--88 (1973; Zbl 0252.34064)] are much simplified; moreover, if \(\phi\) is analytic in the complex \(t\)-plane with a zero or branch point off the real axis \(R\), the exponentially small term implied by \(O(\varepsilon^n)\) can be derived explicitly.