A sub-additive inequality for the volume spectrum

Abstract

Let $(M,g)$ be a closed Riemannian manifold and $\{\omega_p\}_{p=1}^{\infty}$ be the volume spectrum of $(M,g)$. We will show that $\omega_{k+m+1}\leq \omega_k+\omega_m+W$ for all $k,m\geq 0$, where $\omega_0=0$ and $W$ is the one-parameter Almgren-Pitts width of $(M,g)$. We will also prove the similar inequality for the $\varepsilon$-phase-transition spectrum $\{c_{\varepsilon}(p)\}_{p=1}^{\infty}$ using the Allen-Cahn approach.