For a normalized root system $R$ in $\mathbb R^N$ and a multiplicity function $k\geq 0$ let $\mathbf N=N+\sum_{ \alpha \in R} k(\alpha)$. Let $L=-\Delta +V$, $V\geq 0$, be the Dunkl--Schr\"odinger operator on $\mathbb R^N$. Assume that there exists $q >\max(1,\frac{ \mathbf{ N}}{ 2})$ such that $V$ belongs to the reverse H\"older class $\text{ RH}^q(dw)$. We prove the Fefferman--Phong inequality for $L$. As an application, we conclude that the Hardy space $H^1_{ L}$, which is originally defined by means of the maximal function associated with the semigroup $e^{ tL}$, admits an atomic decomposition with local atoms in the sense of Goldberg, where their localization are adapted to $V$.
Categories: math.FA