Non-self-adjoint Jacobi matrices with rank one imaginary part

Abstract

We develop direct and inverse spectral analysis for finite and semi-infinite non-self-adjoint Jacobi matrices with a rank one imaginary part. It is shown that given a set of $n$ not necessarily distinct non-real numbers in the open upper (lower) half-plane uniquely determines a n x n Jacobi matrix with a rank one imaginary part having those numbers as its eigenvalues counting multiplicity. An algorithm for reconstruction for such finite Jacobi matrices is presented. A new model complementing the well known Livsic triangular model for bounded linear operators with rank one imaginary part is obtained. It turns out that the model operator is a non-self-adjoint Jacobi matrix and it follows from the fact that any bounded, prime, non-self-adjoint linear operator with rank one imaginary part acting on some finite-dimensional (resp., separable infinite-dimensional Hilbert space) is unitary equivalent to a finite (resp., semi-infinite) non-self-adjoint Jacobi matrix. This result strengthens the classical Stone theorem established for self-adjoint operators with simple spectrum. We establish the non-self-adjoint analogs of the Hochstadt and Gesztesy--Simon uniqueness theorems for finite Jacobi matrices with non-real eigenvalues as well as an extension and refinement of these theorems for finite non-self-adjoint tri-diagonal matrices to the case of mixed eigenvalues, real and non-real. A unique Jacobi matrix, unitarily equivalent to the operator of indefinite integration in the Hilbert space L_2[0,l] is found as well as spectral properties of its perturbations and connections with well known Bernoulli numbers. We also give the analytic characterization of the Weyl functions of dissipative Jacobi matrices with a rank one imaginary part.