Scattering Theory on SL(3)/SO(3): Connections with Quantum 3-Body Scattering

In this paper we continue our program of extending the methods of geometric scattering theory to encompass the analysis of the Laplacian on symmetric spaces of rank greater than one and their geometric perturbations. Our goal here is to explain how analysis of the Laplacian on the globally symmetric space $\SL(3,\RR)/\SO(3,\RR)$ is very closely related to quantum three-body scattering. In particular, we adapt geometric constructions from recent advances in that field by one of us (A.V.), as well as from our previous work [Mazzeo-Vasy:Resolvents] concerning resolvents for product spaces, to give a precise description of the resolvent and the spherical functions on this space. Amongst the many technical advantages, these methods give results which are uniform up to the walls of the Weyl chambers.