Ruelle zeta functions of hyperbolic manifolds and Reidemeister torsion (Q2665612)

The main result of this paper is a formula relating the Ruelle zeta function for the Laplacian twisted by some flat connection on a compact hyperbolic manifold, to the ratio between the complex torsion of Capell-Miller and the torsion of the twisted de Rham complex. More precisely, the author determines the order of the twisted Ruelle zeta function at \(0\) and computes the leading coefficient in terms of the two torsions. The formula generalizes a result of Fried, valid for twisting connections which are both acyclic and unitary. Here the connection may be non-acyclic and also non-unitary. As the author points out, is not known whether all compact oriented hyperbolic manifolds of dimension at least \(4\) admit acyclic unitary flat connections. As a particular case, the author retrieves a recent result of \textit{J. Park} [Geom. Topol. 23, No. 7, 3687--3734 (2019; Zbl 1439.57040)] valid for certain particular representations in dimension \(3\).