Spectral analysis of time changes of horocycle flows (Q456686)

Let \(M\) be a \(C^\infty\) manifold of dimension \(n\geq1\) with volume form \(\Omega\), and let \(\{F_{j,t}\}_{t\in\mathbb R}\), \(j=1,2,\) be \(C^\infty\) complete flows on \(M\) preserving the measure \(\mu_\Omega\) induced by \(\Omega\), and \(X_j\) the associated vector fields. Denote by \(H_j\) the generator of the strongly continuous unitary group \(\{U_j(t)\}_{t\in\mathbb R}\) in the Hilbert space \(\mathcal H\) and by \(\mathcal L_{X_j}\) the corresponding Lie derivative. Consider a \(C^1\) vector field \(fX_1\) where \(f\in C^1(M)\cap L^\infty(M)\). By this, define a unitary group \(\{\tilde U_1(t)\}_{t\in\mathbb R}\) in the Hilbert space \(\tilde H\), the generator \(\tilde H\) and Lie derivative \(\mathcal L_{fX_1}\). Suppose that there exists a \(C^1\) isomorphism \(e\) such that \[ U_2(s)U_1(t)U_2(-s)=U_1(e(s)t). \] \medskip { Assumption 3.2.} [Time Change] The function \(f\in C^2(M)\) is such that \(f\geq\delta_f\) for some \(\delta_f>0\), the functions \(f\), \(\mathcal L_{X_1}(f)\), \(\mathcal L_{X_2}(f)\), \(\mathcal L_{X_1}(\mathcal L_{X_2}f)\) and \(\mathcal L_{X_2}(\mathcal L_{X_2}f)\) belong to \(L^\infty(M)\), and the function \(g:={e'(0)f-\mathcal L_{X_2}(f)\over 2f}\) satisfies \(g\geq\delta_g\) for some \(\delta_g>0\). { Theorem 3.5.} Let \(f\) satisfy Assumption 3.2. Then, \(H\) has purely absolutely continuous spectrum except at 0, where it may have an eigenvalue. \medskip If \(M\) is compact, then Assumption 3.2 reduces to: \medskip { Assumption 4.1.} The functions \(f\in C^2(M)\) and \(f-\mathcal L_{X_2}(f)\in C^1(M)\) are strictly positive. \medskip { Theorem 4.2.} Let \(f\) satisfy Assumption 3.2 with \(e'(0)=1\) (or simply Assumption 4.1 if \(M\) is compact). Then, the self-adjoint operator \(\tilde H\) associated to the vector field \(fX_1\) has purely absolutely continuous spectrum, except at 0, where it has a simple eigenvalue.