A Polyakov formula for sectors (Q1651390)

Let \((M,g)\) be a compact Riemannian manifold and let \(\Delta_g\) be the Laplacian associated to the metric \(g\). The Polyakov formula represents a conformal variation of the logarithm of the zeta-regularized determinant. This formula was employed in [\textit{B. Osgood} et al., J. Funct. Anal. 80, No. 1, 148--211 (1988; Zbl 0653.53022)] to obtain uniformization results on compact Riemannian surfaces. In this work the authors prove a Polyakov formula for a finite circular sector \(S_\gamma\subset \mathbb{R}^2\) with opening angle \(\gamma\in(0,\pi)\). First they prove asymptotic expansion of \(\text{Tr} ((1+ \log (r)) e^{-t \Delta_\gamma})\) for \(t\to 0^+\), where the proof is obtained using similar techniques as in [\textit{C. L. Aldana}, Ann. Global Anal. Geom. 44, No. 2, 169--216 (2013; Zbl 1273.58013)]. Then they prove the Poliakov formula with respect to the variation of the angle \(\gamma\), and the resultant formula involves some coefficients of the asymptotic expansion of \(\text{Tr} ((1+ \log (r)) e^{-t \Delta_\gamma})\) for small values of \(t\). It is interesting to observe that the angle variation is a conformal deformation. In the case of a circular sector with angle \(\pi/2\) and radius one they prove explicit that \[ \frac{\partial}{\partial \gamma} \log \det (\Delta_{\gamma}) \big|_{\gamma=\frac{\pi}{2}} = \frac{\gamma_e}{4\pi} - \frac{5\pi}{12}, \] where \(\gamma_e\) is the Euler-Mascheroni constant. Using the Carslaw-Sommerfeld's heat kernel, they still prove an explicit expression for the heat kernel on an infinite area sector. In the end, they make the following conjecture: ``Among all convex \(n\)-gons of fixed area, the regular one maximizes the determinant.'' This conjecture corroborates with the last result obtained in the article that is: ``Let \(R\) be a rectangle of dimensions \(L\times L^{-1}\). Then the zeta-regularized determinant is uniquely maximized for \(L=1\), and it tends to \(0\) as \(L\to 0\) or equivalently as \(L\to \infty\).''