$L^2$-spectrum, growth indicator function and critical exponent on locally symmetric spaces

Abstract

In this short note we observe, on locally symmetric spaces of higher rank, a connection between the growth indicator function introduced by Quint and the modified critical exponent of the Poincar\'e series equipped with the polyhedral distance. As a consequence, we provide a different characterization of the bottom of the $L^2$-spectrum of the Laplace-Beltrami operator in terms of the growth indicator function. Moreover, we explore the relationship between these three objects and the temperedness.