On the nonvanishing of some \(L\)-functions (Q1112096)

The main subject of this paper is a relative trace formula. It relates the kernels \(K\) and \(K'\) of two convolution operators. \(K\) describes an operator in \(H=L^2(Z(F_A)G(F)\setminus G(F_A))\) with \(F\) a number field, \(F_A\) its adeles, \(G= \mathrm{GL}_2\) and \(Z\) the center of \(\mathrm{GL}_2\). The operator corresponding to \(K'\) acts in the genuine part \(H'\) of \(L^ 2(\mathrm{SL}_2(F)\setminus \tilde G_1(F_1))\) with \(\tilde G_1(F_A)\) the metaplectic cover of \(\mathrm{SL}_2(F_A)\). Suppose \(K\), resp. \(K'\) is the kernel of convolution by \(f\), resp. \(f'\). The main theorem states that under certain matching conditions on \(f\) and \(f'\) \[ I(f;\eta,\psi_1)=J(f';\varepsilon,\psi) \] with \[ I(f;\eta,\psi_ 1)=\int_{F_A/F}\int_{F^*_A/F^*}K\left( \begin{pmatrix} a & 0\\ 0 & 1\end{pmatrix},\begin{pmatrix} 1 & u\\ 0 & 1\end{pmatrix} \right) \eta(a) d^*a \psi_ 1(-u) \,du \] where \(\psi\) is a non-trivial character of \(F_A/F\), \(\psi_1(u)=\psi (2\varepsilon u)\), \(\varepsilon\) a suitable element of \(F^*\) and \(\eta\) a quadratic idele character; \[ J(f';\varepsilon,\psi)=\int_{(F_ A/F)^ 2}K'\left( \begin{pmatrix} 1 & u\\ 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix},\begin{pmatrix} 1 & v \\ 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix} \right)\quad \psi (- \varepsilon u) \psi (-\varepsilon v) \,du \,dv, \] with a suitable interpretation of \(\begin{pmatrix} 1 & * \\ 0 & 1 \end{pmatrix}\). Although \(I\) and \(J\) are not defined in exactly the same way, careful computations in \(\mathrm{GL}_2(F_v)\) and \(\tilde G_1(F_v)\) for the places \(v\) of \(F\) lead to matching conditions for the factors at \(v\) of \(f\) and \(f'\) sufficient for equality of \(I\) and \(J\). In this proof the sum \(\sum f(x^{-1}\xi y)\) over \(\xi\in Z(F)\setminus G(F)\) defining \(K\) and the corresponding sum for \(K'\) are taken apart. So the proof may be called geometrical. The kernels K and \(K'\) may also be split up according to the decomposition of the spaces H and \(H'\) into invariant components for \(G(F_ A)\), resp. \(\tilde G_ 1(F_ A)\). The term \(I_{\pi}\) of I corresponding to a cuspidal component \(\pi\) of H is a multiple of \(L(\frac{1}{2},\pi \otimes \eta)\). It is sketched how to derive a characterization of the quadratic characters \(\eta\) such that \(L(\frac{2}{2},\pi \otimes \eta)\neq 0\) similar to the result of Waldspurger.