Spectral determinant on Euclidean isosceles triangle envelopes of fixed area as a function of angles: absolute minimum and small-angle asymptotics

Abstract

We study extremal properties of the determinant of Friederichs selfadjoint Laplacian on the Euclidean isosceles triangle envelopes of fixed area as a function of angles. Small-angle asymptotics show that the determinant grows without any bound as an angle of triangle envelope goes to zero. We prove that the equilateral triangle envelope (the most symmetrical geometry) always gives rise to a critical point of the determinant and find the critical value. Moreover, if the area of envelopes is not too large, then the determinant achieves its absolute minimum only on the equilateral triangle envelope and there are no other critical points, whereas for sufficiently large area the equilateral triangle envelope corresponds to a local maximum of the determinant.