Approximation of a general singular vertex coupling in quantum graphs

The longstanding open problem of approximating all singular vertex couplings in a quantum graph is solved. We present a construction in which the edges are decoupled; an each pair of their endpoints is joined by an edge carrying a δ potential and a vector potential coupled to the “loose” edges by a δ coupling. It is shown that if the lengths of the connecting edges shrink to zero and the potentials are properly scaled, the limit can yield any prescribed singular vertex coupling, and moreover, that such an approximation converges in the norm-resolvent sense.