Defect measures of eigenfunctions with maximal \(L^\infty\) growth (Q2326258)

The author studies the eigenfunctions \(u_\lambda\) of the Laplace--Beltrami operator \[ -\Delta_g u_\lambda = \lambda^2 u_\lambda, \qquad \|u_\lambda\|_{L^2(M)} = 1 \] (or more generally certain semiclassical pseudodifferential operators) on a compact \(n\)-dimensional \(C^\infty\) manifold \((M,g)\) without boundary which saturate the \(L^\infty\) growth estimate \[ \|u_\lambda\|_{L^\infty(M)} \leq C \lambda^\frac{n-1}{2}\tag{1} \] in the high energy limit \(\lambda \to \infty\). Continuing from \textit{J. Galkowski} and \textit{J. A. Toth} [Anal. PDE 11, No. 3, 801--812 (2018; Zbl 1386.35307)], the question of interest is the relationship between this \(L^\infty\)-norm growth and the \(L^2\) concentration of eigenfunctions, as measured using defect measures. The main result here is a characterization of the defect measures of the eigenfunctions exhibiting the maximal rate of \(L^\infty\) growth. As a corollary, the author obtains an explicit estimate on the constant \(C\) in (1) in terms of the injectivity radius of the manifold \(M\), improving a bound of \textit{H. Donnelly} [J. Funct. Anal. 187, No. 1, 247--261 (2001; Zbl 0991.58006)].