Generic properties of Steklov eigenfunctions

Abstract

Let $M^n$ be a smooth compact manifolds with smooth boundary. We show that for a generic $C^k$ metic on $\bar{M^n}$ with $k>n-1$, the nonzero Steklov eigenvalues are simple. Moreover, we also prove that the non-constant Steklov eigenfunctions have zero as a regular value and are Morse functions on the boundary for such generic metric. These results generalize the celebrated results on Laplacians by Uhlenbeck to the Steklov setting.