Heat-kernels on the discrete circle and interval

Abstract

As is known, the free heat-kernel on the integers (a modified Bessel function) is turned into the periodic free heat-kernel on the discrete circle by factoring, giving a pre-image sum. I generalise existing treatments by making the functions periodic up to a phase, thus introducing an extra parameter into the analysis. Identifying the classical paths form with the conventional eigenfunction expression, I find a combinatorial trace identity which allows various Bessel identities to be extracted, such as a generalisation of the Jacobi-Anger expansion.The free Dirichlet, Neumann and hybrid Dirichlet-Neumann heat-kernels on a discrete interval are constructed using both modes and images. The Neumann imaging mirror has to be placed at a half-integer. The corresponding lattice Green functions are expressed in terms of Chebyshev polynomials and the Laplacian matrices extracted. The generating functions for circuits with bumps are evaluated.