An analysis of the invariance properties of self-adjoint extensions of symmetric operators under the action of a group of symmetries is presented. For a given group $G$, criteria for the existence of $G$-invariant self-adjoint extensions of the Laplace-Beltrami operator over a Riemannian manifold are illustrated and critically revisited. These criteria are employed for characterising self-adjoint extensions of the Laplace-Beltrami operator on an infinite set of intervals, $Ω$, constituting a quantum circuit, which are invariant under a given action of the group $\mathbb{Z}$. A study of the different unitary representations of the group $\mathbb{Z}$ on the space of square integrable functions on $Ω$ is performed and the corresponding $\mathbb{Z}$-invariant self-adjoint extensions of the Laplace-Beltrami operator are introduced. The study and characterisation of the invariance properties allows for the determination of the spectrum and generalised eigenfunctions in particular examples.
We use boundary triples to find a parametrization of all self-adjoint extensions of the magnetic Schrödinger operator, in a quasi-convex domain~$Ω$ with compact boundary, and magnetic potentials with components in $\textrm{W}^{1}_{\infty}(\overlineΩ)$. This gives also a new characterization of all self-adjoint extensions of the Laplacian in nonregular domains. Then we discuss gauge transformations for such self-adjoint extensions and generalize a characterization of the gauge equivalence of the Dirichlet magnetic operator for the Dirichlet Laplacian; the relation to the Aharonov-Bohm effect, i…
We prove a general essential self-adjointness criterion for sub-Laplacians on complete sub-Riemannian manifolds, defined with respect to singular measures. As a consequence, we show that the intrinsic sub-Laplacian (i.e. defined w.r.t. Popp's measure) is essentially self-adjoint on the equiregular connected components of a sub-Riemannian manifold. This result holds under mild regularity assumptions on the singular region, and when the latter does not contain characteristic points.
By developing the method of multipliers, we establish sufficient conditions which guarantee the total absence of eigenvalues of the Laplacian in the half-space, subject to variable complex Robin boundary conditions. As a further application of this technique, uniform resolvent estimates are derived under the same assumptions on the potential. Some of the results are new even in the self-adjoint setting, where we obtain quantum-mechanically natural conditions.
We introduce the weighted graph Laplacian and the notion of Schrödinger operator on a locally finite weighted graph. Concerning essential self-adjointness, we extend Wojciechowski's and Dodziuk's results for graphs with vertex constant weight. The main result in this work states that on any metrically complete weighted graph with bounded degree, the weighted graph Laplacian is essentially self-adjoint and the same holds for the Schrödinger operator provided the associated quadratic form is bounded from below. We construct for the proof a strictly positive and harmonic function which allows us …
We study zero modes of Laplacians on compact and non-compact metric graphs with general self-adjoint vertex conditions. In the first part of the paper the number of zero modes is expressed in terms of the trace of a unitary matrix $\mathfrak{S}$ that encodes the vertex conditions imposed on functions in the domain of the Laplacian. In the second part a Dirac operator is defined whose square is related to the Laplacian. In order to accommodate Laplacians with negative eigenvalues it is necessary to define the Dirac operator on a suitable Kre\uın space. We demonstrate that an arbitrary, self-adj…
Let $(G,c)$ be an infinite network, and let $\mathcal{E}$ be the canonical energy form. Let $Δ_2$ be the Laplace operator with dense domain in $\ell^2(G)$ and let $Δ_{\mathcal{E}}$ be the Laplace operator with dense domain in the Hilbert space $\mathcal{H}_\mathcal{E}$ of finite energy functions on $G$. It is known that $Δ_2$ is essentially self-adjoint, but that $Δ_{\mathcal{E}}$ is \emph{not}. In this paper, we characterize the Friedrichs extension of $Δ_{\mathcal{E}}$ in terms of $Δ_2$ and show that the spectral measures of the two operators are mutually absolutely continuous with Radon-Nik…
On finite metric graphs we consider Laplace operators, subject to various classes of non-self-adjoint boundary conditions imposed at graph vertices. We investigate spectral properties, existence of a Riesz basis of projectors and similarity transforms to self-adjoint Laplacians. Among other things, we describe a simple way how to relate the similarity transforms between Laplacians on certain graphs with elementary similarity transforms between matrices defining the boundary conditions.
On an infinite, radial metric tree graph we consider the corresponding Laplacian equipped with self-adjoint vertex conditions from a large class including $δ$- and weighted $δ'$-couplings. Assuming the numbers of different edge lengths, branching numbers and different coupling conditions to be finite, we prove that the presence of absolutely continuous spectrum implies that the sequence of geometric data of the tree as well as the coupling conditions are eventually periodic. On the other hand, we provide examples of self-adjoint, non-periodic couplings which admit absolutely continuous spectru…
By Birman and Skvortsov it is known that if $\Omegasf$ is a planar curvilinear polygon with $n$ non-convex corners then the Laplace operator with domain $H^2(\Omegasf)\cap H^1_0(\Omegasf)$ is a closed symmetric operator with deficiency indices $(n,n)$. Here we provide a Kre\uın-type resolvent formula for any self-adjoint extensions of such an operator, i.e. for the set of self-adjoint non-Friedrichs Dirichlet Laplacians on $\Omegasf$, and show that any element in this set is the norm resolvent limit of a suitable sequence of Friedrichs-Dirichlet Laplacians with $n$ point interactions.
Let $Ω_-$ and $Ω_+$ be two bounded smooth domains in $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\ge 2$, separated by a hypersurface $Σ$. For $μ>0$, consider the function $h_μ=1_{Ω_-}-μ1_{Ω_+}$. We discuss self-adjoint realizations of the operator $L_μ=-\nabla\cdot h_μ\nabla$ in $L^2(Ω_-\cupΩ_+)$ with the Dirichlet condition at the exterior boundary. We show that $L_μ$ is always essentially self-adjoint on the natural domain (corresponding to transmission-type boundary conditions at the interface $Σ$) and study some properties of its unique self-adjoint extension $\mathcal{L}_μ:=\overline{L_μ}$. If $μ\ne 1$, then $\mat…
We investigate the relationship between one of the classical notions of boundaries for infinite graphs, \emph{graph ends}, and self-adjoint extensions of the minimal Kirchhoff Laplacian on a metric graph. We introduce the notion of \emph{finite volume} for ends of a metric graph and show that finite volume graph ends is the proper notion of a boundary for Markovian extensions of the Kirchhoff Laplacian. In contrast to manifolds and weighted graphs, this provides a transparent geometric characterization of the uniqueness of Markovian extensions, as well as of the self-adjointness of the Gaffney…
We discuss connections between the essential self-adjointness of a symmetric operator and the constancy of functions which are in the kernel of the adjoint of the operator. We then illustrate this relationship in the case of Laplacians on both manifolds and graphs. Furthermore, we discuss the Green's function and when it gives a non-constant harmonic function which is square integrable.
For a self--adjoint Laplace operator on a finite, not necessarily compact, metric graph lower and upper bounds on each of the negative eigenvalues are derived. For compact finite metric graphs Poincaré type inequalities are given.
The resolvent convergence of self-adjoint operators via the technique of $Γ$-convergence of quadratic forms is adapted to incorporate complex Hilbert spaces. As an application, we find effective operators to the Dirichlet Laplacian with magnetic potentials in very thin bounded tubular regions in space built along smooth closed curves; relatively weak regularity is asked for the potentials, and the convergence is in the norm resolvent sense as the cross sections of the tubes go uniformly to zero.
For non-self-adjoint almost-periodic Schrödinger operators, a criterion is given to guarantee that they have both the same spectrum and same Lyapunov exponents with the discrete free Laplacian. As a byproduct, we show that the Moser-Pöschel argument for opening gaps may not be valid for non-self-adjoint operators.
We consider metric graphs with a uniform lower bound on the edge lengths but no further restrictions. We discuss how to describe every local self-adjoint Laplace operator on such graphs by boundary conditions in the vertices given by projections and self-adjoint operators. We then characterize the lower bounded self-adjoint Laplacians and determine their associated quadratic form in terms of the operator families encoding the boundary conditions.
In some recent papers a loss-gain electronic circuit has been introduced and analyzed within the context of PT-quantum mechanics. In this paper we show that this circuit can be analyzed using the formalism of the so-called pseudo-fermions. In particular we discuss the time behavior of the circuit, and we construct two biorthogonal bases associated to the Liouville matrix $\Lc$ used in the treatment of the dynamics. We relate these bases to $\Lc$ and $\Lc^\dagger$, and we also show that a self-adjoint Liouville-like operator could be introduced in the game. Finally, we describe the time evoluti…
In this paper we study the self-adjoint Krein-von Neumann realization $A_K$ of the perturbed Laplacian $-Δ+V$ in a bounded Lipschitz domain $Ω\subset\mathbb{R}^n$. We provide an explicit and self-contained description of the domain of $A_K$ in terms of Dirichlet and Neumann boundary traces, and we establish a Weyl asymptotic formula for the eigenvalues of $A_K$.
Path integral representations for generalized Schrödinger operators obtained under a class of Bernstein functions of the Laplacian are established. The one-to-one correspondence of Bernstein functions with Lévy subordinators is used, thereby the role of Brownian motion entering the standard Feynman-Kac formula is taken here by subordinated Brownian motion. As specific examples, fractional and relativistic Schrödinger operators with magnetic field and spin are covered. Results on self-adjointness of these operators are obtained under conditions allowing for singular magnetic fields and singular…
In this paper we develop certain aspects of perturbation theory for self-adjoint operators subject to small variations of their domains. We use the abstract theory of boundary triplets to quantify such perturbations and give the second order asymptotic analysis for resolvents, spectral projections, discrete eigenvalues of the corresponding self-adjoint operators. In particular, we derive explicit formulas for the first variation and the Hessian of the eigenvalue curves bifurcating from a discrete eigenvalue of an unperturbed operator. An application is given to a matrix valued Robin Laplacian …
We consider Laplace operators on metric graphs, networks of one-dimensional line segments (bonds), with matching conditions at the vertices that make the operator self-adjoint. Such quantum graphs provide a simple model of quantum mechanics in a classically chaotic system with multiple scales corresponding to the lengths of the bonds. For graph Laplacians we briefly report results for the spectral determinant, vacuum energy and heat kernel asymptotics of general graphs in terms of the vertex matching conditions.
Two-dimension almost-Riemannian structures of step 2 are natural generalizations of the Grushin plane. They are generalized Riemannian structures for which the vectors of a local orthonormal frame can become parallel. Under the 2-step assumption the singular set $Z$, where the structure is not Riemannian, is a 1D embedded submanifold. While approaching the singular set, all Riemannian quantities diverge. A remarkable property of these structures is that the geodesics can cross the singular set without singularities, but the heat and the solution of the Schrödinger equation (with the Laplace-Be…
A bosonic Laplacian is a conformally invariant second order differential operator acting on smooth functions defined on domains in Euclidean space and taking values in higher order irreducible representations of the special orthogonal group. In this paper, we firstly introduce the motivation for study of the generalized Maxwell operators and bosonic Laplacians (also known as the higher spin Laplace operators). Then, with the help of connections between Rarita-Schwinger type operators and bosonic Laplacians, we solve Poisson's equation for bosonic Laplacians. A representation formula for bounde…
We study the gate-based implementation of the binary reflected Gray code (BRGC) and binary code of the unitary time evolution operator due to the Laplacian discretized on a lattice with periodic boundary conditions. We find that the resulting Trotter error is independent of system size for a fixed lattice spacing through the Baker-Campbell-Hausdorff formula. We then present our algorithm for building the BRGC quantum circuit. For an adiabatic evolution time $t$ with this circuit, and spectral norm error $ε$, we find the circuit cost (number of gates) and depth required are $\mc{O}(t^2 n A D /ε…
We consider a class of self-adjoint extensions using the boundary triple technique. Assuming that the associated Weyl function has the special form $M(z)=\big(m(z)\Id-T\big) n(z)^{-1}$ with a bounded self-adjoint operator $T$ and scalar functions $m,n$ we show that there exists a class of boundary conditions such that the spectral problem for the associated self-adjoint extensions in gaps of a certain reference operator admits a unitary reduction to the spectral problem for $T$. As a motivating example we consider differential operators on equilateral metric graphs, and we describe a class of …
We give a proof that in settings where Von Neumann deficiency indices are finite the spectral counting functions of two different self-adjoint extensions of the same symmetric operator differ by a uniformly bounded term (see also Birman-Solomjak's 'Spectral Theory of Self-adjoint operators in Hilbert Space') >. We apply this result to quantum graphs, pseudo-laplacians and surfaces with conical singularities.
We give a criterion of asymptotic completeness and provide a representation of the scattering matrix for the scattering couple $(A_{0},A)$, where $A_{0}$ and $A$ are semi-bounded self-adjoint operators in $L^{2}(M,{\mathscr B},m)$ such that the set $\{u\in D(A_{0})\cap D(A):A_{0}u=Au\}$ is dense. No sort of trace-class condition on resolvent differences is required. Applications to the case in which $A_{0}$ corresponds to the free Laplacian in $L^{2}({\mathbb R}^{n})$ and $A$ describes the Laplacian with self-adjoint boundary conditions on rough compact hypersurfaces are given.
The Laplacian in an unbounded tubular neighbourhood of a hyperplane with non-Hermitian complex-symmetric Robin-type boundary conditions is investigated in the limit when the width of the neighbourhood diminishes. We show that the Laplacian converges in a norm resolvent sense to a self-adjoint Schroedinger operator in the hyperplane whose potential is expressed solely in terms of the boundary coupling function. As a consequence, we are able to explain some peculiar spectral properties of the non-Hermitian Laplacian by known results for Schroedinger operators.
In the objective of studying concentration and oscillation properties of eigenfunctions of the discrete Laplacian on regular graphs, we construct a pseudo-differential calculus on homogeneous trees, their universal covers. We define symbol classes and associated operators. We prove that these operators are bounded on L^2 and give adjoint and product formulas. Finally we compute the symbol of the commutator of a pseudo-differential operator with the Laplacian.
For $ν\in[0, 1]$ let $D^ν$ be the distinguished self-adjoint realisation of the three-dimensional Coulomb-Dirac operator $-\mathrm i\boldsymbolα\cdot\nabla -ν|\cdot|^{-1}$. For $ν\in[0, 1)$ we prove the lower bound of the form $|D^ν| \geqslant C_ν\sqrt{-Δ}$, where $C_ν$ is found explicitly and is better then in all previous works on the topic. In the critical case $ν=1$ we prove that for every $λ\in [0, 1)$ there exists $K_λ>0$ such that the estimate $|D^{1}| \geqslant K_λa^{λ-1}(-Δ)^{λ/2} -a^{-1}$ holds for all $a >0$. As applications we extend the range of coupling constants in the proof of …
We consider the Laplacian and its fractional powers of order less than one on the complement $\mathbb{R}^d\setminusΣ$ of a given compact set $Σ\subset \mathbb{R}^d$ of zero Lebesgue measure. Depending on the size of $Σ$, the operator under consideration, equipped with the smooth compactly supported functions on $\mathbb{R}^d \setminus Σ$, may or may not be essentially self-ajoint. We survey well known descriptions for the critical size of $Σ$ in terms of capacities and Hausdorff measures. In addition, we collect some known results for certain two-parameter stochastic processes. What we finally…
We consider Dirac, Pauli and Schrödinger quantum magnetic Hamiltonians of full rank in ${\rm L}^2 \big(\mathbb{R}^{2d} \big)$, $d \ge 1$, perturbed by non-self-adjoint (matrix-valued) potentials. On the one hand, we show the existence of non-self-adjoint perturbations, generating near each point of the essential spectrum of the operators, infinitely many (complex) eigenvalues. In particular, we establish point spectrum analogous of Bögli results [Bög17] obtained for non-magnetic Laplacians, and hence showing that classical Lieb-Thirring inequalities cannot hold for our magnetic models. On the …
This mini-course of 20 lectures aims at highlights of spectral theory for self-adjoint partial differential operators, with a heavy emphasis on problems with discrete spectrum. Part I: Discrete Spectrum (ODE preview, Laplacian - computable spectra, Schroedinger - computable spectra, Discrete spectral theorem via sesquilinear forms, Laplace eigenfunctions, Natural boundary conditions, Magnetic Laplacian, Schroedinger in confining well, Variational characterizations, Monotonicity of eigenvalues, Weyl's asymptotic, Polya's conjecture, Reaction-diffusion stability, Thin fluid film stability) Part …
We investigate spectral properties of Kirchhoff Laplacians on radially symmetric antitrees. This class of metric graphs enjoys a rich group of symmetries, which enables us to obtain a decomposition of the corresponding Laplacian into the orthogonal sum of Sturm--Liouville operators. In contrast to the case of radially symmetric trees, the deficiency indices of the Laplacian defined on the minimal domain are at most one and they are equal to one exactly when the corresponding metric antitree has finite total volume. In this case, we provide an explicit description of all self-adjoint extensions…
Motivated by potential theory on discrete spaces, we study a family of unbounded Hermitian operators in Hilbert space which generalize the usual graph-theoretic discrete Laplacian. These operators are discrete analogues of the classical conformal Laplacians and Hamiltonians from statistical mechanics. For an infinite discrete set $X$, we consider operators acting on Hilbert spaces of functions on $X$, and their representations as infinite matrices; the focus is on $\ell^2(X)$, and the energy space $\mathcal{H}_{\mathcal E}$. In particular, we prove that these operators are always essentially s…
A second order self-adjoint operator $Δ=S\partial^2+U$ is uniquely defined by its principal symbol $S$ and potential $U$ if it acts on half-densities. We analyse the potential $U$ as a compensating field (gauge field) in the sense that it compensates the action of coordinate transformations on the second derivatives in the same way as an affine connection compensates the action of coordinate transformations on first derivatives in the first order operator, a covariant derivative, $\nabla=\partial+Γ$. Usually a potential $U$ is derived from other geometrical constructions such as a volume form,…
In this paper the spectral and scattering properties of a family of self-adjoint Dirac operators in $L^2(Ω; \mathbb{C}^4)$, where $Ω\subset \mathbb{R}^3$ is either a bounded or an unbounded domain with a compact $C^2$-smooth boundary, are studied in a systematic way. These operators can be viewed as the natural relativistic counterpart of Laplacians with Robin boundary conditions. Among the Dirac operators treated here is also the so-called MIT bag operator, which has been used by physicists and more recently was discussed in the mathematical literature. Our approach is based on abstract bound…
We provide a limiting absorption principle for the self-adjoint realizations of Laplace operators corresponding to boundary conditions on (relatively open parts $Σ$ of) compact hypersurfaces $Γ=\partialΩ$, $Ω\subset{\mathbb{R}}^{n}$. For any of such self-adjoint operators we also provide the generalized eigenfunctions and the scattering matrix; both these objects are written in terms of operator-valued Weyl functions. We make use of a Krein-type formula which provides the resolvent difference between the operator corresponding to self-adjoint boundary conditions on the hypersurface and the fre…
In this note the three dimensional Dirac operator $A_m$ with boundary conditions, which are the analogue of the two dimensional zigzag boundary conditions, is investigated. It is shown that $A_m$ is self-adjoint in $L^2(Ω;\mathbb{C}^4)$ for any open set $Ω\subset \mathbb{R}^3$ and its spectrum is described explicitly in terms of the spectrum of the Dirichlet Laplacian in $Ω$. In particular, whenever the spectrum of the Dirichlet Laplacian is purely discrete, then also the spectrum of $A_m$ consists of discrete eigenvalues that accumulate at $\pm \infty$ and one additional eigenvalue of infinit…
We construct continuously parametrised families of conformally invariant boundary operators on densities. These may also be viewed as conformally covariant boundary operators on functions and generalise to higher orders the first-order conformal Robin operator and an analogous third-order operator of Chang-Qing. Our families include operators of critical order on odd-dimensional boundaries. Combined with the (conformal Laplacian power) GJMS operators, a suitable selection of the boundary operators yields formally self-adjoint elliptic conformal boundary problems. Working on a conformal manifol…
We consider harmonic Toeplitz operators $T_V = PV:{\mathcal H}(Ω) \to {\mathcal H}(Ω)$ where $P: L^2(Ω) \to {\mathcal H}(Ω)$ is the orthogonal projection onto ${\mathcal H}(Ω) = \left\{u \in L^2(Ω)\,|\,Δu = 0 \; \mbox{in}\;Ω\right\}$, $Ω\subset {\mathbb R}^d$, $d \geq 2$, is a bounded domain with $\partial Ω\in C^\infty$, and $V: Ω\to {\mathbb C}$ is a suitable multiplier. First, we complement the known criteria which guarantee that $T_V$ is in the $p$th Schatten-von Neumann class $S_p$, by sufficient conditions which imply $T_V \in S_{p, {\rm w}}$, the weak counterpart of $S_p$. Next, we assu…
Let $(X,g)$ be a compact manifold with boundary $M^n$ and $σ$ a defining function of $M$. To these data, we associate natural conformally covariant polynomial one-parameter families of differential operators $C^\infty(X) \to C^\infty(M)$. They arise through a residue construction which generalizes an earlier construction in the framework of Poincaré-Einstein metrics. The main ingredient of the definition of residue families are eigenfunctions of the Laplacian of the singular metric $σ^{-2}g$. We prove that if $σ$ is an approximate solution of a singular Yamabe problem, these families can be wr…
The magnetic Laplacian (also called the line bundle Laplacian) on a connected weighted graph is a self-adjoint operator wherein the real-valued adjacency weights are replaced by unit complex-valued weights $\{ω_{xy}\}_{xy\in E}$, satisfying the condition that $ω_{xy}=\overline{ω_{yx}}$ for every directed edge $xy$. When properly interpreted, these complex weights give rise to magnetic fluxes through cycles in the graph. In this paper we establish the spectrum of the magnetic Laplacian, as a set of real numbers with multiplicities, on the Sierpinski gasket graph ($SG$) where the magnetic fluxes…
