Spectral zeta function (${\zeta }_L(s)={\sum }_{{\lambda }_j>0}{\lambda }_j^{-s}$)

For a nonnegative elliptic operator $L$ on a closed manifold, sum its positive eigenvalues with multiplicity. The defining series converges in a right half-plane. If $n_0=\dim \ker L$ and $K(t)=\mathrm{Tr}(e^{-tL})$ is the heat trace, thenSubtracting finitely many terms of the short-time heat kernel expansion gives a meromorphic continuation. Zero eigenvalues must be excluded: assigning them a nonexistent inverse power does not define the spectral zeta function.

For a Laplace-type operator on a closed manifold, let $a_{t^0}$ be the constant coefficient of its full heat trace expansion. In the Mellin transform defining the spectral zeta function, the reduced trace has constant coefficient $a_{t^0}-\dim \ker L$. Its contribution is $(a_{t^0}-\dim \ker L)/s$, and $1/\Gamma (s)=s+O(s^2)$ proves the identity. For the scalar positive Laplace-Beltrami operator on a closed surface, $a_{t^0}=\int RdV/(24\pi )$ and $\dim \ker L$ is the number of connected components. In particular, a connected sphere has value $-2/3$ and a connected flat torus has value $-1$.