Large time asymptotics for a class of wave equations of higher order with a variable coefficient and time-independent incitation

We consider the equation (?1)^m?^m (p?^mu) + ?u = ? in ?ⁿ × 0, ∞] for arbitrary positive integers m and n and under the assumptions p ?1, ? ? C and p > 0. Under the additional assumption that the differential operator (?1)^m?^m (p?^mu) has no eigenvalues we derive an asymptotic expansion for u(x,t) as t → including all terms up to order o(1). In particular, we show that for 2m ≥ n terms of the orders t^α, log t, (log t)² and t^β·log t as t → ∞ may occur.