Estimates of the first Dirichlet eigenvalue from exit time moment spectra (Q303631)

Let \((M,g)\) be a complete Riemannian manifold with Laplace-Beltrami operator \(\Delta\). Fix a normal domain \(D\subset M\) and consider the Dirichlet boundary value problem \[ \Delta u+\lambda u=0\text{ on }D,\;\; u_{\mid_{\partial D}}=0 \] with first eigenvalue \(\lambda_1(D)\). There is a sequence \((u_k)_{k\geq 0}\) of solutions of boundary value problems in \(D\), defined inductively as follows: {\parindent=0.7cm\begin{itemize}\item[--] \(u_0=1\) on \(D\), \item[--] \(\Delta u_k+ku_{k-1}=0\) on \(D\), \item[--] \(u_{k_{\mid_{\partial D}}}=0\) for \(k\geq 1\). \end{itemize}} Associated with \((u_k)_{k\geq 1}\) is the sequence \(({\mathcal A}_k(D))_{k\geq 0}\) of integrals defined by \[ {\mathcal A}_k(D)=\int_Du_k(x)dV \] known as the exit time moment spectrum of \(D\). Suppose now that \(M\) is a rotationally symmetric model space with pole \(p\) and \(D\) is the geodesic ball \(B_R\) centered at \(p\). One of the main results proved in the paper under review can be stated as follows: \[ \lambda_1(B_R)=\lim_{k\rightarrow\infty}\frac{ku_{k-1}(0)}{u_k(0)}=\lim_{k\rightarrow\infty}\frac{k{\mathcal A}_{k-1}(B_R)}{{\mathcal A}_k(B_R)}. \] Moreover, the radial function \(r\mapsto\lim_{k\rightarrow\infty}\frac{u_k(r)}{u_k(0)}\) is a Dirichlet eigenfunction for the first eigenvalue \(\lambda_1(B_R)\).