Twisted symmetric-square \(L\)-functions and the nonexistence of Siegel zeros on \(\mathrm{GL}(3)\) (Q1359253)

Let \(F\) be an algebraic number field, \({\mathbb A}\) its ring of adeles, \(\pi\) be a unitary cuspidal automorphic representation of \(\mathrm{GL}(3,{\mathbb A})\), and \(L(s,\pi)\) be the standard \(L\)-function of \(\pi\). Then the author shows that \(L(s,\pi)\) does not admit a Siegel zero, that is there are no real zeros of \(L(s,\pi)\) lying close to \(s=1\). Here close means close in a suitable sense, depending on the absolute discriminant of \(F\) and the absolute norm of the conductor of the Rankin-Selberg convolution \(\pi\times \pi\). The (non)existence of a Siegel zero for \(\mathrm{GL}(n)\) automorphic \(L\)-series was studied by \textit{J. Hoffstein} and \textit{D. Ramakrishnan} in [Int. Math. Res. Not. 1995, No. 6, 279--308 (1995; Zbl 0847.11043)], following a lecture of Goldfeld and earlier work by \textit{J. Hoffstein} and \textit{P. Lockhart} [Ann. Math., II. Ser. 140, 161--181 (1994; Zbl 0814.11032)] and \textit{D. Goldfeld, J. Hoffstein}, and \textit{D. Lieman} [appendix to ibid.]. The nonexistence of a Siegel zero for \(\mathrm{GL}(1)\) is a famous unsolved problem. The nonexistence for \(\mathrm{GL}(2)\) was proved by Hoffstein and Ramakrishnan [loc. cit.]. They also established the nonexistence for \(\mathrm{GL}(n)\) for non-self-contragredient representations. For \(\mathrm{GL}(3)\) in the case that the central character of \(\pi\), \(\chi_\pi\), is trivial the nonexistence may be obtained by combining the work of Goldfeld, Hoffstein, Lieman and Lockhart with the analyticity of the symmetric square \(L\)-function \(L(s,\pi,\text{Sym}^2)\) near \(s=1\), established by \textit{D. Bump} and \textit{D. Ginzburg} [Ann. Math., II. Ser. 136, No. 1, 137--205 (1992; Zbl 0753.11021)]. There remains the case that \(\chi_\pi\) is quadratic. There one needs a result similar to that of Bump-Ginzburg, but for twists of the symmetric square \(L\)-function. The author establishes such a result. Let \(\pi\) be a unitary cuspidal automorphic representation of \(\mathrm{GL}(3,{\mathbb A})\), and \(\chi\) be a Hecke character. Let \(S\) be a finite set of places of \(F\) containing all archimedean and even places and all of the finite places dividing the conductors of \(\pi\) and of \(\chi\). Then the author shows that the partial Langlands \(L\)-function \(L_S(s,\pi, \text{Sym}^2\otimes \chi)\) extends to a meromorphic function of \(s\in{\mathbb{C}}\), with possible simple poles at \(s=0\) and \(s=1\). Moreover, he shows that there is no pole unless \(\chi^3\chi_{\pi}^2=1\). The proof is modeled on the argument of Bump and Ginzburg [ibid.]. The main new idea is to twist the Eisenstein series which occurs in that paper, in order to introduce the twist by \(\chi\). (A similar result for global fields of characteristic not \(0\), \(2\), was given by \textit{S. J. Patterson} and \textit{I. I. Piatetski-Shapiro} [Math. Ann. 283, No. 4, 551--572 (1989; Zbl 0645.22007)]).