CR eigenvalue estimate and Kohn-Rossi cohomology

Let $X$ be a compact connected CR manifold with a transversal CR $S^1$-action of real dimension $2n-1$, which is only assumed to be weakly pseudoconvex. Let $\Box_b$ be the $\overline{\partial}_b$-Laplacian, with respect to a $T$-rigid Hermitian metric (see Definition 3.2 of $T$-rigid Hermitian metric). Eigenvalue estimate of $\Box_b$ is a fundamental issue both in CR geometry and analysis. In this paper, we are able to obtain a sharp estimate of the number of eigenvalues smaller than or equal to $\lambda$ of $\Box_b$ acting on the $m$-th Fourier components of smooth $(n-1,q)$-forms on $X$, where $m\in \mathbb{Z}_+$ and $q=0,1,\cdots, n-1$. Here the sharp means the growth order with respect to $m$ is sharp. In particular, when $\lambda=0$, we obtain the asymptotic estimate of the growth for $m$-th Fourier components $H^{n-1,q}_{b,m}(X)$ of $H^{n-1,q}_b(X)$ as $m \rightarrow +\infty$. Furthermore, we establish a Serre type duality theorem for Fourier components of Kohn-Rossi cohomology which is of independent interest. As a byproduct, the asymptotic growth of the dimensions of the Fourier components $H^{0,q}_{b,-m}(X)$ for $m\in \mathbb{Z}_+$ is established. We also give appilcations of our main results, including Morse type inequalities, asymptotic Riemann-Roch type theorem, Grauert-Riemenscheider type criterion, and an orbifold version of our main results which provides an answer towards a folklore open problem informed to us by Hsiao.