Degenerate elliptic operators in one dimension

Let H be the symmetric second-order differential operator on L ₂(R) with domain ${C_c^\infty({\bf R})}Let H be the symmetric second-order differential operator on L ₂(R) with domain C_c^￥(R){C_c^\infty({\bf R})} and action Hj = -(c j^￠)^￠{H\varphi=-(c\,\varphi^{\prime})^{\prime}} where c ? W^1,2_loc(R){ c\in W^{1,2}_{\rm loc}({\bf R})} is a real function that is strictly positive on R\{0}{{\bf R}\backslash\{0\}} but with c(0) = 0. We give a complete characterization of the self-adjoint extensions and the submarkovian extensions of H. In particular if n = n₊ún_-{\nu=\nu_+\vee\nu_-} where n_±(x)=±ò^±1_±x c^-1{\nu_\pm(x)=\pm\int^{\pm 1}_{\pm x} c^{-1}} then H has a unique self-adjoint extension if and only if n ? L₂(0,1){\nu\not\in L_2(0,1)} and a unique submarkovian extension if and only if n ? L_￥(0,1){\nu\not\in L_\infty(0,1)}. In both cases, the corresponding semigroup leaves L ₂(0,∞) and L ₂(−∞,0) invariant. In addition, we prove that for a general non-negative c ? W^1,￥_loc(R){ c\in W^{1,\infty}_{\rm loc}({\bf R})} the corresponding operator H has a unique submarkovian extension.