Laplace-Beltrami operator on a Riemann surface and equidistribution of measures (Q5947287)

Let \(Y\) be a compact Riemann surface of genus \(g>1\) with a metric of constant sectional curvature \(-1\). Let \(S(Y)\) be the associated unit circle bundle of the cotangent bundle. This inherits a natural \(\text{SL}(2,\mathbb{R})\) action; the fiber circles are orbits of the compact subgroup \(\text{SO}(2,\mathbb{R})\). Let \(\omega\) be the Casimir operator on \(S(Y)\); this operator is \(\text{SL}(2,\mathbb{R})\) invariant and agrees with the Laplace Beltrami operator \(\Delta_Y\) on the image of \(C^\infty(Y)\) in \(C^\infty(S(Y))\). Let \(W\) be the differential operator on \(S(Y)\) generating the \(\text{SO}(2,\mathbb{R})\) action on the fibers; \(W\) and \(\omega\) commute. Fix an eigenvalue \(\mu\) of \(\Delta_Y\). Let \(\varphi_{\mu,\ell}^k\) be the set of orthonormal eigenfunctions defined by the relations: \(\omega(\varphi_{\mu,\ell}^k)=\mu\varphi_{\mu,\ell}^k\), \(W(\varphi_{\mu,\ell}^k)=ik\cdot\varphi_{\mu,\ell}^k,\) \(||\varphi_{\mu,\ell}^k||_{L^2(S(Y)}=1\). Let \(\omega_{k,\ell}:=|\varphi_{\mu,\ell}^k|^2d{\text{ vol}}_{S(Y)}\). These measures are \(\text{SO}(2,\mathbb{R})\) invariant and are measures on \(Y\). The author uses the representation theory of \(\text{SL}(2,\mathbb{R})\) to investigate the distribution of the mass of the functions \(\varphi_{\mu,\ell}^k\) and establish a quantitative equidistribution result: \[ \int_{S(Y)}f(x)\omega_{k,\ell}=\int_{S(X)}f(x)d{\text{ vol}}_{S(X)} +O(|k|^{-\delta})\text{ as }k\rightarrow\infty. \]