The Berry-Keating operator on L2(R>,dx) and on compact quantum graphs with general self-adjoint realizations

The Berry-Keating operator HBK := -i h-bar (x d/dx + 1/2) (Berry and Keating 1999 SIAM Rev. 41 236) governing the Schroedinger dynamics is discussed in the Hilbert space L2(R>,dx) and on compact quantum graphs. It has been proved that the spectrum of HBK defined on L2(R>,dx) is purely continuous and thus this quantization of HBK cannot yield the hypothetical Hilbert-Polya operator possessing as eigenvalues the nontrivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function. A complete classification of all self-adjoint extensions of HBK acting on compact quantum graphs is given together with the corresponding secular equation in form of a determinant whose zeros determine the discrete spectrum of HBK. In addition, an exact trace formula and the Weyl asymptotics of the eigenvalue counting function are derived. Furthermore, we introduce the 'squared' Berry-Keating operator HBK2 := -x2 d2/dx2 -2x d/dx - 1/4 which is a special case of the Black-Scholes operator used in financial theory of option pricing. Again, all self-adjoint extensions, the corresponding secular equation, the trace formula and the Weyl asymptotics are derived for H2BK on compact quantum graphs. While the spectra of both HBK and H2BK on any compact quantum graph are discrete, their Weyl asymptotics demonstrate that neither HBK nor H2BK can yield as eigenvalues the nontrivial Riemann zeros. Some simple examples are worked out in detail.