Useful extremum principle for the variational calculation of matrix elements. II

Recent work (Gerjuoy et al., 1974) on variational principles for diagonal bound state matrix elements of arbitrary Hermitian operators is extended. In particular, it is shown that the previously derived minimum principle for the trial auxiliary function appearing in such variational principles can be constructed using a modified Hamiltonian possessing not heretofore recognized positive definite properties. Thus there is at least one alternative to the particular modified Hamiltonian on which the results of Gerjuoy et al. (1974) originally were based.