The m-functions of discrete Schrödinger operators are sparse compared to those for Jacobi operators

Abstract

We explore the sparsity of Weyl–Titchmarsh m-functions of discrete Schrödinger operators. Due to this, the set of their m-functions cannot be dense on the set of those for Jacobi operators. All this reveals why an inverse spectral theory for discrete Schrödinger operators via their spectral measures should be difficult. To obtain the result, de Branges theory of canonical systems is applied to work on them, instead of Weyl–Titchmarsh m-functions.