The Hodge cohomology of a conformally compact metric (Q1110106)

Let M be a compact manifold with boundary \(\partial M\). Let \(\rho\) be a defining function for \(\partial M\), i.e. \(\rho\geq 0\), \(d\rho |_{\partial M}\neq 0,\) and \(\partial M=\rho^{-1}(0).\) If h is a smooth metric on M, let \(g=\rho^{-2}h\) define a complete metric on int(M). Let \(\Delta_ k\) be the Hodge Laplacian; the author establishes an analogue of the Hodge decomposition theorem away from the middle dimensions: \[ \ker (\Delta_ k)\quad \cong \quad H^ k(M,\partial M)\quad if\quad k<(n-1)/2,\quad \ker (\Delta_ k)\quad \cong \quad H^ k(M)\quad if\quad k>(n-1)/2. \] The author locates the essential spectrum of the Laplacian in each degree; the construction relies on a calculus of pseudo differential operators well adapted to the boundary behavior and uses micro local analysis.