Rough estimates on the scalar heat kernel

Abstract

This chapter establishes rough estimates on the heat kernel rb,tX for the scalar hypoelliptic operator AbX on X defined in the preceding chapter. By rough estimates, this chapter refers to just the uniform bounds on the heat kernel. The chapter also obtains corresponding bounds for the heat kernels associated with operators AbX and another AbX over ̂X. Moreover, it gives a probabilistic construction of the heat kernels. This chapter also explains the relation of the heat equation for the hypoelliptic Laplacian on X to the wave equation on X and proves that as b → 0, the heat kernel rb,tX converges to the standard heat kernel of X.