Selberg zeta functions and transfer operators. An experimental approach to singular perturbations (Q2374263)

This book presents an approach to evaluate Selberg zeta functions for the modular group and its congruence subgroups with characters. The central idea is to express the Selberg zeta function as a spectral determinant of a transfer operator of the discretized geodesic flow. It is then possible to numerically calculate the spectrum of the transfer operator and approximate the spectral determinants. This allows to calculate the zeros of the Selberg zeta function and perform numerical experiments. On over 300 pages the author gives a comprehensive exposition of the numerical and theoretical aspects of the subject. As for the theoretical background, the book contains an introduction to Hurwitz and Lerch zeta functions and collects results on the spectral theory of the hyperbolic Laplacian as well as the considered transfer operators. Concerning the numerical aspects, the diagonalization of large matrices is discussed and applied for approximating the spectra of transfer operators. Finally, in Chapter 8 and 9, several numerical experiments are presented. The book concentrates on hyperbolic surfaces for the modular group and congruence subgroups. Similar numerical experiments on the distribution of zeros of Selberg zeta functions have been performed in [\textit{D. Borthwick}, Exp. Math. 23, No. 1, 25--45 (2014; Zbl 1321.58021); \textit{D. Borthwick} and \textit{T. Weich}, J. Spectr. Theory 6, No. 2, 267--329 (2016; Zbl 1366.37053)] for Schottky surfaces.