Observability for Schr\"odinger equations with quadratic Hamiltonians

Abstract

We consider time dependent harmonic oscillators and construct a parametrix to the corresponding Schr\"odinger equation using Gaussian wavepackets. This parametrix of Gaussian wavepackets is precise and tractable. Using this parametrix we prove $L^2$ and $L^2-L^{\infty}$ observability estimates on unbounded domains $\omega$ for a restricted class of initial data. This data includes a class of compactly supported piecewise $C^1$ functions which have been extended from characteristic functions. Initial data of this form which has the bulk of its mass away from $\omega^c=\Omega$, a connected bounded domain, is observable, but data centered over $\Omega$ must be very nearly a single Gaussian to be observable. We also give counterexamples to established principles for the simple harmonic oscillator in the case of certain time dependent harmonic oscillators.