We next fix the complete self-adjoint complement A. Its Hilbert space may contain continua and all quantum source coordinates. Let U be the input Hilbert space, B:U→H bounded, and a∈L2(0,T;U). The zero-initial response is
qB(t)=−i∫0te−iA(t−s)Ba(s)ds.(4.1)
A spectral sector can be included by replacing B with CB for a spectral projection C of A. The input may change direction arbitrarily in U.
Lemma 4.1 (An operator spectral measure on one interval)
Let I=[α,α+l), l>0, and suppose B∗EA(I)B≤mIU. For v∈H1(I;U), the spectral integral TIv=∫IEA(dλ)Bv(λ) satisfies
∥TIv∥2≤2m{l−1∥v∥L2(I)2+l∥v′∥L2(I)2}.(4.2)
Proof
Let vˉ=l−1∫Iv be the Bochner mean. The fundamental theorem for Hilbert-valued H1 functions gives
Consequently the spectral integral has the precise order
TIv=EA(I)Bvˉ+∫Ik(A,ξ)EA(I)Bv′(ξ)dξ.
For smooth v this follows by its displayed integral representation and bounded spectral calculus. The same formula defines a continuous extension to H1. It gives
∥TIv∥≤m{l−1/2∥v∥L2(I)+l1/2∥v′∥L2(I)}.
Squaring and using (x+y)2≤2x2+2y2 proves (4.2). No common eigenvector of the input-valued function or simultaneous diagonalization of the operator measure was assumed.
Suppose Mη(E)≤sηI for all real E, or at the centers of a partition into intervals of length 2η covering the relevant spectrum. Then, for 0≤t≤T,
∥qB(t)∥2≤4π2sη(1+η2t2)∫0t∥a(s)∥2ds.(4.4)
Atoms, singular spectral measures and thresholds are allowed. The coefficient is an operator ceiling for the complete input space, not a scalar response for one incident column.
Proof
On Ij=[Ej−η,Ej+η) the Poisson kernel in (4.3) is at least 1/(2πη). Hence B∗EA(Ij)B≤2πηsηI. Set
vt(λ)=∫0teiλ(s−t/2)a(s)ds.
This Bochner Fourier transform is in H1(R;U), even though no derivative of a was required. Hilbert-valued Plancherel gives
The full spectral integral of vt differs from qB(t) only by −ie−iAt/2. This identity follows directly by Fubini from (4.1). The outputs TIjvt lie in mutually orthogonal spectral subspaces. Apply Lemma 4.1 with l=2η, m=2πηsη and sum:
∥qB(t)∥2≤2πsη∥vt∥22+8πη2sη∥vt′∥22.
The Plancherel identities give (4.4). Orthogonality and monotone summation justify infinitely many intervals without a dimension or number-of-channels factor.
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The interval derivative term is substantive. A ceiling on B∗EA(I)B by itself cannot bound a spectral integral of a changing vector by a dimension-free multiple of supλ∥v(λ)∥2. The time-centered Fourier representation is what supplies the derivative in this theorem. It is a derivative in spectral energy, not a time-regularity premise on the actual input.
For intervals of half-width δ instead of η, the same proof gives
Indeed the interval measure costs m=π(η2+δ2)sη/η and its length is 2δ. Thus the observation window can be chosen to match an earned response table.
If B=LF−1, use a=Fp with the actual input. For F=I and a normalized full block evolution, ∫0t∥p(s)∥2ds≤t; choosing η=1/T gives the uniform ceiling 8π2s1/TT. If F is dimensionless and L,A have inverse-time units, sη has inverse-time units, so this norm bound is dimensionless. An atom of response weight w at λ0 has Mη(λ0)=w/(πη), whereas a resonant constant input can give response wt2. The theorem retains that pole through sη; it does not convert it into a decay rate or a gap.
Theorem 4.3 (Coherent near/far response in the physical form)
Let A be fixed self-adjoint, K=A+c≥I, and F≥I a fixed positive input graph. Assume
B=K−1/2LF−1:U⟶His bounded.
Thus LF−1=K1/2B is a bounded map into V∗, possibly not into H. Assume Fp∈L2(0,T;U) for the near-response statement. For J0=[E0−Λ,E0+Λ], Λ>0, let C=1J0(A). For j=0,1 set
Bj=K(j+1)/2CB,Mj,η(E)=π1B∗CKj+1(A−E)2+η2ηCB.
These Bj are bounded and Mj,η are positive operator spectral responses. If Mj,η(E)≤sj,ηI at the required centers, the zero-initial near response satisfies
An original q0∈V contributes the separate homogeneous term e−iAtq0, with its original form norm. It is not part of (4.6).
Proof
The causal integral is first defined in V∗, where e−iAt is a unitary group in the K dual norm. On the bounded spectral interval, multiplication by Kj/2C turns its forcing into BjFp. Apply Theorem 4.2 to this bounded coupling to obtain (4.6).
On the far sector put D=A−E0. Commuting only functions of this same self-adjoint A, integration by parts gives the exact identity
For an unbounded coupling, prove it first on bounded spectral cutoffs. The bounds below pass it to the form-dual causal solution and also show that its right side is a physical Kj/2 vector. Taking norms proves (4.7). The two displayed endpoints are the virtual dressings; neither can be dropped.
For x=∣λ−E0∣≥Λ and λ∈σ(A), positivity and the triangle inequality give 0<λ+c≤x+∣E0+c∣. Therefore
The spectral theorem proves (4.8) and the limiting integration-by-parts assertion. The homogeneous term follows by linearity; it has unchanged K norm because K=A+c commutes with A.
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One may use M1,η≤kJ0M0,η, where kJ0=supλ∈J0∩σ(A)(λ+c), if that additional factor is charged. A smaller first-form response coefficient is a separate spectral calculation. For several coherent couplings L(t)=∑αlα(t)Lα, apply the theorem to the stacked bounded map with input (l1Fp,…,lmFp). Its full operator measure retains all off-diagonal responses. Summing independent scalar channel rates would be a different statement.
The near estimate requires an L2 input but no input time derivative. The far estimate requires the displayed derivative and endpoint dressings. Neither frozen spectral statement applies automatically to a changing A(t). One must instead use Theorem 3.3, or prove a comparison with a fixed parent and charge its actual forcing and form-dual derivative.