Ruelle zeta function from field theory (Q2216165)

The authors describe a new class of gauge fixings for \(BF\) theory on contact manifolds based on the Reeb vector field associated with the contact structure. This gauge is called the ``contact gauge''. Then, it is proved that on sphere bundles with an Anosov-Reeb vector field, the Ruelle zeta function can be interpreted as a suitable regularised determinant for the Lie derivative operator \(\mathcal{L}_X\) on \(k\)-forms in the kernel of the contraction \(\iota_X\). In this way the authors conclude that the partition function of \(BF\) theory in the contact gauge coincides with the Ruelle zeta function. This fact is related to Schwarz's calculation of the partition function of \(BF\) theory as well as to the recent proof of Chern-Gauss-Bonnet theorem given in [\textit{D. Berwick-Evans}, Commun. Math. Phys. 335, No. 3, 1121--1157 (2015; Zbl 1310.81112)]. Moreover, this suggests an alternative rephrasing of a \textit{D. Fried}'s conjecture [Invent. Math. 84, 523--540 (1986; Zbl 0621.53035)] on the equivalence between the Ruelle zeta function and the analytic torsion in terms of homotopies of Lagrangian submanifolds.