The spectral estimates for the Neumann–Laplace operator in space domains

In this paper we prove discreteness of the spectrum of the Neumann–Laplacian (the free membrane problem) in a large class of non-convex space domains. The lower estimates of the first non-trivial Neumann eigenvalue are obtained in terms of geometric characteristics of Sobolev mappings. The suggested approach is based on Sobolev–Poincaré inequalities that are obtained with the help of a geometric theory of composition operators on Sobolev spaces. These composition operators are induced by generalizations of conformal mappings that are called as mappings of bounded 2-distortion (weak 2-quasiconformal mappings). © 2017 Elsevier Inc.