Lower bounds for the low Steklov eigenvalues

For a compact, connected, orientable Riemannian manifold with $b$ boundary components, we obtain geometric lower bounds for the low Steklov eigenvalues, namely $\sigma_k$, $1\le k\le b-1$. Our results complement earlier results, which apply only to $\sigma_k$ with $k\ge b$ and depend on the geometry near the boundary, by showing how the interior geometry influences the low eigenvalues. Our result also yields lower bounds for the low Steklov eigenvalues in the setting of pinched negatively curved manifolds, thus recovering similar results in that context through an alternative proof. The proof of the main result is based on the trace inequality relating the Steklov eigenvalue to the Neumann eigenvalues of the connected subdomains of the manifold containing a boundary collar. The geometric coefficient appearing in this inequality is given by an explicit formula in terms of a quantity that can be interpreted as the electrical resistance of the boundary collar.