Improved generalized periods estimates over curves on Riemannian surfaces with nonpositive curvature

Abstract

Abstract We show that, on compact Riemannian surfaces of nonpositive curvature, the generalized periods, i.e. the 𝜈-th order Fourier coefficients of eigenfunctions e λ e_{\lambda} over a closed smooth curve 𝛾 which satisfies a natural curvature condition, go to 0 at the rate of O ⁢ ( ( log ⁡ λ ) - 1 2 ) O((\log\lambda)^{-\frac{1}{2}}) in the high energy limit λ → ∞ \lambda\to\infty if 0 < | ν | λ < 1 - δ 0<\frac{\lvert\nu\rvert}{\lambda}<1-\delta for any fixed 0 < δ < 1 0<\delta<1 . Our result implies, for instance, that the generalized periods over geodesic circles on any surfaces with nonpositive curvature would converge to zero at the rate of O ⁢ ( ( log ⁡ λ ) - 1 2 ) O((\log\lambda)^{-\frac{1}{2}}) .