Analytic semigroups generated by Dirichlet-to-Neumann operators on manifolds

We consider the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator associated to a strictly elliptic operator on the space $$\mathrm {C}(\partial M)$$ C ( ∂ M ) of continuous functions on the boundary $$\partial M$$ ∂ M of a compact manifold $$\overline{M}$$ M ¯ with boundary. We prove that it generates an analytic semigroup of angle $$\frac{\pi }{2}$$ π 2 , generalizing and improving a result of Escher with a new proof. Combined with the abstract theory of operators with Wentzell boundary conditions developed by Engel and the author, this yields that the corresponding strictly elliptic operator with Wentzell boundary conditions generates a compact and analytic semigroups of angle $$\frac{\pi }{2}$$ π 2 on the space $$\mathrm {C}(\overline{M})$$ C ( M ¯ ) .