Laplace transform, dynamics and spectral geometry

Abstract

We consider vector fields $X$ on a closed manifold $M$ with rest points of Morse type. For such vector fields we define the property of exponential growth. A cohomology class $\xi \in H^1(M;\mathbb{R})$ which is Lyapunov for $X$ defines counting functions for isolated instantons and closed trajectories. If $X$ has exponential growth property we show, under a mild hypothesis generically satisfied, how these counting functions can be recovered from the spectral geometry associated to $(M,g,\omega )$ where $g$ is a Riemannian metric and $\omega$ is a closed one form representing $\xi$. This is done with the help of Dirichlet series and their Laplace transform.

added a reference and dropped an appendix