On pairs of closed geodesics on hyperbolic surfaces (Q1288629)

This paper generalizes the trace formula (in the compact unramified case) for Fuchsian groups. Let us ``begin by outlining the trace formula. Let \(\rho(z,w)\) denote the hyperbolic distance between \(z,w\in {\mathfrak H}\), and let \[ u(z,w)= e^{\rho(z,w)}+ e^{-\rho(z,w)}-2. \] Let \(k\) be a compactly supported \(C^\infty\) test function on \([0,\infty)\) and let \(K(z,w)\) denote the automorphic kernel \[ K(z,w)= \sum_{\gamma\in \Gamma} k(u(z,w)). \] Let \(\{\varphi_j\}\) denote a complete set of eigenfunctions of the Laplacian in \({\mathfrak L}^2 (\Gamma \setminus{\mathfrak H})\), orthonormal with respect to the Petersson inner product \[ \langle f,g\rangle= \int_{\Gamma \setminus{\mathfrak H}} f(z) \overline{g}(z) d\mu z \] for \(d\mu z\) the invariant measure \(y^{-2} dx dy\), with \(\Delta\varphi_j= \lambda_j \varphi_j\) for \(\lambda_j= \frac 14+ r_j^2> 0\). The spectral theorem gives a decomposition of \(K\) as \[ K(z,w)= \sum_j h(r_j) \varphi_j (z) \overline{\varphi}_j (w) \] where \(k(u)\) and \(h(r)\) are defined by \[ h(r)= \int_{-\infty}^\infty G(\xi) e^{ir\xi} d\xi, \quad G(\xi)= \frac{1}{2\pi} \int_{-\infty}^\infty h(r) e^{-ir\xi} dr, \] \[ Q(e^\xi+ e^{-\xi}- 2)= G(\xi), \] \[ Q(w)= \int_w^\infty \frac{k(u)}{\sqrt{u-w}} du, \quad k(u)= -\frac{1}{\pi} \int_u^\infty \frac{dQ(w)}{\sqrt{w-u}}, \] where \(h\) is holomorphic in \(|\text{Im }r|< \frac 12+ \varepsilon\), is even in \(r\), and decays as \(h(r)\ll (|r|+ 1)^{-\delta}\) for \(\delta> 2\). Let \(P\) be a primitive (hyperbolic) geodesic in \(\Gamma\) whose geodesic has length \(\log p\). Define \(d_m(p)= |p^{m/2}- p^{-m/2}|\) and \(d(p)= d_1(p)\). Then the trace formula in the case of totally hyperbolic groups can be written \[ \sum_P \log p \sum_{m\neq 0} \frac{Q(d_m^2(p))} {d_m(p)}= \sum_j h(r_j)- k(0) \text{Vol} (\Gamma \setminus{\mathfrak H}) \] where \(P\) ranges over primitive closed geodesics. Here is the principal result of the paper: Theorem 1. Let \(\Gamma\) be a totally hyperbolic co-compact Fuchsian group, let \(\{\varphi_j\}\) denote a complete set of eigenfunctions on \(\Delta\) in \({\mathfrak L}^2(\Gamma \setminus{\mathfrak H})\) with eigenvalues \(\lambda_j= \frac 14+ r_j^2\), and let \({\mathcal P}\) denote the primitive closed geodesics on \(\Gamma \setminus {\mathfrak H}\). Then the spectral expression \[ \sum_{j,k} h(r_j,r_k) \langle |\varphi_j |^2,|\varphi_k |^2 \rangle- k(0) \text{Vol} (\Gamma \setminus{\mathfrak H}) \] is equal to the geometric expression \[ \begin{aligned} \sum_{P\in{\mathcal P}} &\log p \sum_{(m,n)\neq (0,0)} \frac{Q(d_m^2(p)+ d_n^2(p))} {(d_m^2(p)+ d_n^2 (p))^{1/2}}\\ &+ \sum_{P_1,P_2\in{\mathcal P}} \sum_\vartheta \sum_{m,n\neq 0} \int_0^\infty \frac{Q(u+ d_m^2(p_1)+ d_n^2 (p_2)) du} {\sqrt{u^3+ u^2 (d_m^2(p_1)+ d_n^2(p_2))+ ud_m^2 (p_1) d_n^2(p_2) \sin^2\vartheta}}\\ &+2 \sum_{P_1,P_2\in{\mathcal P}} \sum_\rho \sum_{m,n\neq 0} \int_A^\infty \frac{Q(u+ d_m^2(p_1)+ d_n^2 (p_2)) du} {\sqrt{u^3+ u^2 (d_m^2(p_1)+ d_n^2(p_2))+ ud_m^2 (p_1) d_n^2(p_2) \sinh^2\rho}}, \end{aligned} \] where \(\vartheta\) ranges over the non-zero intersection angles between \(P_1\) and \(P_2\), \(\rho\) ranges over the geodesic common perpendiculars between \(P_1\) and \(P_2\), and \(A\) denotes the largest root of the cubic expression. The test function \(Q\) is assumed to be \(C^\infty\) and of compact support, and the various transforms are given by \[ k(u)= -\frac{1}{\pi} \int_u^\infty \frac{Q'(w) dw} {\sqrt{w-u}}, \quad L(w)= \int_w^\infty \frac{Q(u) du} {\sqrt{u-w}}, \quad Q(u)= -\frac{1}{\pi} \int_u^\infty \frac{L'(w) dw} {\sqrt{w-u}}, \] \[ L(4\sinh^2 \tfrac 12\xi_1+ 4\sinh^2 \tfrac 12 \xi_1)= G(\xi_1,\xi_2), \] \[ h(r_1,r_2)= \int_{-\infty}^\infty \int_{-\infty}^\infty G(\xi_1, \xi_2) e^{ir_1 \xi_1+ ir_2 \xi_2} d\xi_1 d\xi_2, \] \[ G(\xi_1,\xi_2)= \frac{1}{4\pi^2} \int_{-\infty}^\infty \int_{-\infty}^\infty h(r_1,r_2) e^{-ir_1\xi_1- ir_2\xi_2} dr_1 dr_2. \text{''} \] The two integrals are of elliptic type, diverging as \(\vartheta\) or \(\rho\to 0\). Thus the theorem restricts the existence of small intersection angles and short perpendiculars, as LHS is finite for many \(\mathbb{Q}\).