A new proof of Weyl's formula on the asymptotic distribution of eigenvalues (Q2266274)

Let p be a classical observable and P a corresponding quantum observable. By comparing classical and quantum partition functions one can prove that for large \(\lambda\) (1) \(N(\lambda)\sim \gamma volume\) \((p\leq 1)\). Here \(\gamma\) is a thermodynamical constant (independent of p and P) and \(N(\lambda)\) is the number of eigenvalues of P less than \(\lambda\). The author's purpose is to give a ''soft'' proof of (1). For this reason he introduces a Weyl algebra W associated with a symplectic cone y, and considers self-adjoint positive elliptic operators of order one belonging to W. He then examines the function \(\zeta (P,\mu):=\int_{0}\lambda^{\mu}dN(\lambda)\), \(\mu\in {\mathbb{C}}\), and proves that \(\zeta(P,\mu)\) converges in the half-plane Re\(\mu<-d\), \(2d=\dim y\), and has a meromorphic continuation to the whole \(\mu\)-plane with poles at \(\mu =-d,-d-1\), etc. The pole at \(\mu =-d\) is simple with residue equal to a constant \(\gamma\), depending only on W, times the symplectic volume of the set where the symbol of P is less than one. From this (1) is deduced by a Tauberian argument.