Functional determinants in higher dimensions using contour integrals

Abstract

In this contribution we first summarize how contour integration methods can be used to derive closed formulae for functional determinants of ordinary differential operators. We then generalize our considerations to partial differential operators. Examples are used to show that also in higher dimensions closed answers can be obtained as long as the eigenvalues of the differential operators are determined by transcendental equations. Examples considered comprise of the finite temperature Casimir effect on a ball and the functional determinant of the Laplacian on a two-dimensional torus.