Asymptotics of Laplacians defined by symmetric connections (Q1190277)

Let (\(M^ m,g\)) be a closed Riemannian manifold, let \(\nabla\) be a torsion-free connection on \(TM^ m\). Define the elliptic second order PDO \(P\) by \[ P=P(\nabla)=-g^{ij}\{\nabla^*\otimes 1+1\otimes\nabla\}_ i\;\nabla_ j. \] The authors calculate the first coefficients in the asymptotic expansion \[ \text{Tr}_{L^ 2}(e^{- tP})\sim\sum^ \infty_{n=0}(4\pi)^{-m/2}a_ n(P)t^{(2n- m)/2}\qquad (t\to 0^ +). \] Applying this discussion to the first affine connection, they obtain results in affine differential geometry. For example, they show the following Theorem: Let \(x\) and \(\bar x: M^ 2\to A^ 3\) be ovaloids with centroaffine normalization, which are \(P\) isospectral. If \(x(M^ 2)\) is an ellipsoid, then \(\bar x(M^ 2)\) is also an ellipsoid. In the final section the case of manifolds with boundary is studied.