Meromorphic continuation of Selberg zeta functions with twists having non-expanding cusp monodromy (Q2291579)

Let \(\Gamma\) be a Fuchsian group action on the 2-dimensional hyberbolic space \(\mathbb H\). Suppose that \(\Gamma\) is geometrically finite, which in dimension 2 means that it has a fundamental domain with finitely many geodesic sides. Examples are Fuchsian groups of finite covolume, i.e., lattices. Let \(\chi:\Gamma\to \operatorname{GL}_2({\mathbb C})\) be a representation of \(\Gamma\). The \emph{Selberg zeta function} is the product \[ Z_{\Gamma,\chi}(s)=\prod_c\prod_{k=0}^\infty\det\left(1-\chi(\gamma_c)\,e^{-(s+k)\ell(\gamma)}\right), \] where \(c\) runs over the set of all primitive closed geodesics in \(\Gamma\backslash \mathbb H\). The representation \(\chi\) is said to have \emph{non-expanding cusp monodromy}, if for every parabolic element \(p\in\Gamma\) every eigenvalue has absolute value 1. In the present nicely written paper it is shown that the product \(Z_{\Gamma,\chi}(s)\) converges for some \(s\in\mathbb C\) if and only if the representation \(\chi\) has non-expanding cusp monodromy. One says that \(\Gamma\) \emph{allows for a strict transfer operator approach} if, roughly, there is a family of transfer operators \(\mathcal L_s\) such that \[ Z_{\Gamma,1}(s)=\det\left(1-\mathcal L_s\right), \] where the det stands for the Fredholm determinant. The second main result of the paper is, that if \(\Gamma\) allows for a strict transfer operator approach, then \(Z_{\Gamma,\chi}(s)\) extends to a meromorphic function on \(\mathbb C\) with all poles contained in \(\frac12\mathbb Z\). The proof of the first statement hinges on geometrically founded growth estimates for \(\chi\) and the proof of the second uses an extension of the transfer operator approach to the \(\chi\)-twisted situation.