Spectral properties of surface-localized transmission eigenmodes and applications to inverse scattering problems

Abstract

This paper investigates a distinctive spectral pattern exhibited by transmission eigenfunctions in wave scattering theory. Building upon the discovery in [7, 8] that these eigenfunctions localize near the domain boundary, we derive sharp spectral density estimates--establishing both lower and upper bounds--to demonstrate that a significant proportion of transmission eigenfunctions manifest this surface-localizing behavior. Our analysis elucidates the connection between the geometric rigidity of eigenfunctions and their spectral properties. Though primarily explored within a radially symmetric framework, this study provides rigorous theoretical insights, advances new perspectives in this emerging field, and offers meaningful implications for inverse scattering theory.