Uniform pointwise bounds for matrix coefficients of unitary representations and applications to Kazhdan constants (Q1847926)

The purpose of this paper is to prove some very sharp estimates for the matrix coefficients of unitary representations of the group of \(k\)-points of certain algebraic groups over a local field \(k\) of characteristic \(\neq 2\). The groups are those of \(k\)-semisimple rank \(\geq 2\) and with a simple derived group of \(k\)-rank \(\geq 2\). The proofs are based on an inductive strategy the author ascribes to R. Howe and a delicate study of the notion of a tempered representation. Although the formulation of the results is too involved to be repeated here it is worth noting that they involve no implicit constants. The author also shows that they are optimal for the families of the \(\text{SL}_n(k)\) and \(\text{Sp}_{2n}(k)\). As an application it is also possible to obtain \(L^p\) estimates. One consequence of the main theorems, and apparently the main motivation, are sharp estimates for some Kazhdan constants.