Spectral theory for commutative algebras of differential operators on Lie groups (Q531829)

The author considers a finite family of left-invariant differential operators \(L_1,\dots,L_n\) on a connected Lie group \(G\). He proves that the operators \(L_1,\dots,L_n\) admit a joint spectral resolution under the hypothesis that they form a weighted subcoercive system. This hypothesis is defined in the paper as follows: the operators \(L_1,\dots,L_n\) are formally self-adjoint and commute pairwise; furthermore the unital subalgebra generated by \(L_1,\dots,L_n\) in the algebra of left-invariant differential operators on \(G\) contains a weighted subcoercive operator. Properties of the joint spectrum and of the multipliers in \(L_1,\dots,L_n\) are studied. The notion of weighted subcoercive operators was introduced by \textit{A. F. M. ter Elst} and \textit{D. W. Robinson} in [J. Funct. Anal. 157, No. 1, 88--163 (1998; Zbl 0910.22005)]. The paper under review is based on this work; the results of [op. cit.] are summarised in Section 2 and some technical points are also improved. Under the hypotheses described above, in Section 3, a kernel transform is defined by associating to functions of \(n\) real variables the kernels of the corresponding spectral multipliers in \(L_1,\dots,L_n\). Among other properties of the kernel transform, analogues of the Plancherel formula and of the Riemann-Lebesgue Lemma are proved. In Section 4, spectral properties are carefully studied. In particular the joint spectrum of \(L_1,\dots,L_n\) is realised via the eigenvalues of eigenfunctions of positive type. The last section is devoted to examples, especially to the case of Gelfand pairs.