A Quadratic-Form Representation of the Scalar Casimir Trace from Codimension-Three Riesz Reduction

Abstract

Under a prescribed heat-regularized Gaussian source covariance, we give a quadratic-form representation of the scalar Casimir trace associated with a codimension-three Riesz reduction. For a product operator $L_M=L_B-Δ_\perp$, with $L_B$ positive self-adjoint and bounded below, transverse reduction of the ambient Riesz operator $L_M^{-s}$ produces the brane multiplier $L_B^{m/2-s}$, up to an explicit Gamma-function constant. The exponent $s=1+m/2$ is therefore the critical Riesz exponent for obtaining the ordinary brane Green operator $L_B^{-1}$; in codimension three this gives $s=5/2$. Using this induced Green kernel, we prescribe a Gaussian generalized scalar source with covariance proportional to $L_B^{3/2}e^{-τL_B}$. The expectation of its quadratic Green-kernel energy is then exactly the heat-regularized scalar Casimir trace \[ \frac{\hbar c}{2} \operatorname{Tr}\!\left(L_B^{1/2}e^{-τL_B}\right). \] With the same finite-part prescription, the identity specializes in the Dirichlet parallel-plate geometry to the standard scalar finite part. We also record a deterministic flat Green-energy calibration at the plate scale. Within the plate-compatible rectangular aspect-ratio family, the cubical cell is selected by spectral, heat-trace, and Green-energy extremal criteria, and the associated comparison coefficient is the corresponding extremal calibration value. The construction is a scalar spectral representation theorem; no electromagnetic, gravitational, brane-dynamical, or fundamental-constant identification is asserted.