| Abstract: | We characterize the convergence of the series ∑ λ–1n, where λn are the non‐zero eigenvalues of some boundary value problems for degenerate second order ordinary differential operators and we prove a formula for the above sum when the coefficient of the zero‐order term vanishes. We study these operators both in weighted Hilbert spaces and in spaces of continuous functions. After investigating the boundary behaviour of the eigenfunctions, we give applications to the regularity of the generated semigroups. |
