Equivariant isospectrality and Sunada's method (Q707958)

Let \({\mathcal O}\) be a compact Riemannian orbifold; locally \({\mathcal O}\) is the quotient of an ordinary coordinate chart by a finite group of isometries. A point is singular if the associated isotropy group is non-trivial. The orbifold is said to be \textit{good} or \textit{global} if it arises as the quotient of a manifold. The Laplace operator \(\Delta_{{\mathcal O}}\) is defined locally through coordinate charts and the spectrum (set of eigenvalues) is a non-decreasing sequence of non-negative numbers tending to \(\infty\). Generalizing a question of M. Kac, the author examines whether one can ``hear'' the presence of a singularity -- i.e. can one construct a pair of isospectral orbifolds where one orbifold has singular points and the other does not. The author shows: Theorem 1.2: Let \({\mathcal O}_i\) be isospectral good orbifolds and let \(\pi_i:M_i\rightarrow{\mathcal O}_i\) be non-trivial finite Riemannian orbifold covers with \(M_i\) isospectral manifolds. Then \({\mathcal O}_1\) has a singular point if and only if \({\mathcal O}_2\) has a singular point. The author uses an equivariant version of \textit{T. Sunada}'s theorem [Ann. Math. (2) 121, 169--186 (1985; Zbl 0585.58047)] and an equivariant Sunada technique in the proof of Theorem 1.2; results of \textit{H. Donnelly} [Math. Ann. 237, 23--40 (1978; Zbl 0368.53028)] and of \textit{C. S. Gordon} [Invent. Math. 145, No. 2, 317--331 (2001; Zbl 0995.58004)] also play a role. He also notes: Proposition 3.8. For each \(n\geq8\), there are spherical orbifolds of dimension \(n\) that admin multiparameter families of isospectral yet locally non-isometric metrics.