Eigenfunction for Adjoint Operstor

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on finding the adjoint operator \( A^* \) for the operator \( A \) defined as \( (Af)(x,y)=(\Delta f)(x,y)-f(x,y)+f(0,y) \) acting on \( C^2 \) functions. The adjoint operator, when acting on measures with density, is expressed as \( (A^*g)(x,y)=(\Delta g)(x,y)-g(x,y)+\delta_0(x)\int_\mathbb{R}{dt\, g(t,y)} \). The participant, Pere, concludes that the eigenmeasure for \( A^* \) cannot have a density and suggests that it may involve a point mass at zero. Pere also explores the one-dimensional case, finding that the operator does not yield an eigenfunction, but later resolves this using a Fourier Transform.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of differential operators, specifically the Laplacian \( \Delta \).
  • Familiarity with measures and distributions, including Dirac delta functions.
  • Knowledge of inner product spaces in the context of functional analysis.
  • Experience with Fourier Transforms and their applications in solving differential equations.
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the properties of adjoint operators in functional analysis.
  • Explore the implications of measures without density, particularly in relation to point masses.
  • Investigate the use of Fourier Transforms in solving partial differential equations.
  • Learn about the role of distributions in the context of differential operators and eigenfunctions.
USEFUL FOR

Mathematicians, physicists, and graduate students specializing in functional analysis, differential equations, and measure theory will benefit from this discussion.

Pere Callahan
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Hi,

I am having a question again (I should not work on so many things at the same time).

I came across an operator A acting on C^2 - functions f:R^2->R:

[tex](Af)(x,y)=(\Delta f)(x,y)-f(x,y)+f(0,y)[/tex]

My goal is to find the adjoint operator (acting on measures) with respect to the inner product

[tex]\left\langle f,\mu\right\rangle=\int_{\mathbb{R}^2}{f(x,y)d\mu(x,y)}[/tex]

For the case that [tex]\mu[/tex] has a density with respect to lesbesgue measure, i.e
[tex]d\mu(x,y)=g(x,y)d^2\lambda[/tex] I figured out that the adjoint, acting on [tex]\mu[/tex] and hence on the function g can be written as

[tex](A^*g)(x,y)=(\Delta g)(x,y)-g(x,y)+\delta_0(x)\int_\mathbb{R}{dt\, g(t,y)}[/tex]

However, the [tex]\delta_0(x)[/tex] makes me think that this is not quite the right approach:smile:

My interpreation for this is that [tex]A^*[/tex] acting on a "nice" measure (having a density) gives something which does not have a density.

I further concluded that the "eigenmeasure" for [tex]A^*[/tex] which I am interested in, cannot have a density so it seems necessary to find out how [tex]A^*[/tex] acts on for example a measure including a point mass at zero. I don't know how this can be done. More specifically, if we only consider the laplace part for now: What is [tex]Z(x,y)d^2\lambda[/tex] in

[tex]\int_{\mathbb{R}^2}{(\Delta f)(x,y)\delta_0(x)d^2\lambda(x,y)}=\int_{\mathbb{R}^2}{f(x,y)Z(x,y)d^2\lambda(x,y)}[/tex]

I would take this [tex]Z(x,y)d^2\lambda[/tex] to be [tex](\Delta^*\delta_0(x)d^2\lambda(x,y))(x,y)[/tex] if it happened to exist in some way or another...

Thanks for your help

-Pere
 
Last edited:
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It maybe is a good idea to first consider the problem in only one dimension:

Here the operator is

[tex](Af)(x)=(\partial_x^2f)(x)+f(0)-f(x)[/tex]

Again I am interested in an eigenmeasure of the adjoint operator with respect to the same inner product as above (integration). I found

[tex](A^*g)(x)=(\partial_x^2g)(x)+\delta_0(x)\int_\mathbb{R}{dt\, g(t)}-g(x)[/tex]

where the function g represents the measure g(x)dx...How ever I have a strong feeling that this operator does not have an eigenfunction.. can somebody confirm this...?

Thanks

-Pere
 
Last edited:
So if nobody replies I do it myself:smile:

My last one dimensional DGL is obviously solved for [tex]x\neq 0[/tex] by

[tex]g(x)=A e^{-|x|}[/tex]

(I only want finite measures (in fact probability measures) hence integrable functions.

How ever for x=0 this is not a solution, so something weird might happen there..any suggestions...maybe an Admin could move this into Differential Equations ... if it seems appropriate..

-Pere

edit:

I solved it again, this time via a Fourier Transform, and I changed my opinion concerning [tex]g(x)=A e^{-|x|}[/tex] not being a solution for x=0...the delta distribution seems to somehow compensate for the non-differentiability at x=0. So I'll try the same method for the original two-dimensional problem and ask again if it does not work out:smile:
 
Last edited:

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